Submitted by Susan Hardee Steger
Photo courtesy of Army Corp of Engeineers
Who will pay for beach renourishment is the proverbial elephant in the room when it comes to the upcoming 2016 beach renourishment project for Fernandina’s beaches. In the past, the City and County have worked together to fund the cost, but at this time there is no indication County funds will be forthcoming.
A February 2014 letter written by City Manager Joe Gerrity and addressed to the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners [NCBCC], proposes that each partner (City, County, and Tourism and Development Council) pay 1/3 of the estimated 1.495 million local cost share. Gerrity presents justification for sharing the expense since “sand placed on the beaches on the northern part of the island . . . keeps the beaches healthy as far south as the Omni Plantation.”
Because studies have shown jetties constructed at the northern end of Amelia Island are contributing to beach erosion, the City receives 80% of beach renourishment costs from the federal government as opposed to 60% received by the vast majority of coastal communities. “The state pays 46.44% of the cost not borne by the Federal government, leaving the remainder for local cost share,” said Eric Olsen, project manager during a May 7, 2013 City Commission meeting. (Click here for previous article.)
A major renourishment project began in late 2007 and was “designed to be renourished (or maintained) every five years to “protect the design beach template for another five years,” according to information posted on the city website during the 2007 project. Gerrity’s letter to BOCC states “the project has been delayed until the summer of 2016, due to the good condition of the beaches and the sand being placed on the beaches from the dredge of the Navy channel.” In 2011 a decision to delay the 2013 scheduled maintenance due to stable beach conditions caused negative editorial comments and a public outcry.
Low estimates for the 2016 renourishment project are 11.817 million with high estimates at 13.351 million. Local costs will range from 1.323 million to 1.495 million, a reduction from previous estimates.
During a May 7, 2013 commission meeting, Gerrity said that Nassau County District 1 Commissioner and then board chair Danny Leeper said that the county will partner with the city in this endeavor.
Click here for a previous Fernandina Observer article and project engineer Eric Olsen’s comments and history of Fernandina’s beach renourishment project.
March 4, 2014 9:29 a.m.
Hopefully the County Commissioners will live up to the agreement made by their predecessors to support the 20-year beach renourishment agreement.