January Update

Invitations have been extended to the St. Lucie County (SLC) Erosion District as well as the USACE (confirmation from the Corp is pending) to speak at the PC's March meeting about the Beach Project generally AND

1. The pending north-south "construction easements" along the dune, similar to those everyone consented to for the 2004/5 and 2013 projects. The county should soon be following up with property owners with the forms as required by the USACE. More to follow from the county . . .

2.  Funding of the "Local Share" (The projects unfunded balance AFTER presently committed federal and state funding), is most recently presently estimated by the SLC to be +/-$8.5MM for fund planning "working" purposes instead of the heretofore +/-$10.5MM. A reduction of +/-$2MM due to expected forthcoming reduced combined project costs. +/-$8.5MM is still a "big nut to crack" locally, potentially from a combination of:

• County-wide funding via a strengthened greater funded Erosion District &/or other resources. (Status of Ft. Pierce's contribution to their beaches? Over time possibly some portion of the Tourist or Bed Tax, that is presently already otherwise fully committed? Other?)
  
• One of the two 2019 authorized So. HI Special Taxing Districts.  Ideally, only the MSTU to the extent needed.
  
• Additional federal funding dependent on acquiring the much-discussed new strategically located public beach access. (see below)
  
• Other?
  

The first two will to a large measure be determined by July end as part of the SLC annual budget process, which is typically ultimately confirmed in Sept. for the next fiscal year beginning Oct. 1st. Beach Erosion funding is one of 5 “challenges” identified last year for budget considerations for this year. More to follow . . .

Access for additional Federal funding: The PC has been and is encouraging the County to develop and earnestly pursue a viable plan “B” with undeveloped property owners for acquiring the 3 strategically located access points necessary to increase the federal funding by as much as +/- $6.2MM. 3 owners have been identified. We recently had a preliminary, but an encouraging conversation with one such owner and already following up with the county. Dec. 16th we were advised the County has been and is investigating alternatives, to their heretofore Plan “A” efforts to obtain “free” easements from various Associations. Understanding what those alternatives are and how they may be progressing is at present unknown and to be further pursued.   More to follow. . .

Project Costs:  They continue to be questioned and evaluated, given the 2022 3.4 mile So. SLC project. Martin County’s 2018 USACE 4 mile and very similar project was less than half of the still projected cost for More in Dec. below and to follow . . .

As we continue to endeavor to collaborate about the successful implementation of 2022 “Initial Start” by the USACE under the federal 50-year Beach Preservation Program a recurring question from us is If not this, why NOT? And what other alternatives might there be?