New Inlet Management Interlocal needed
To the editor:
The Board of County Commissioners want Fort Myers Beach Town Council to a sign an amendment to the previous beach restoration interlocal agreement that would allow the Lee County to build the groin at Bowditch Point and add some beach fill. There are serious problems with that request.
1. The DEP has already stated that the groin design will create more erosion that will require removing the groin or armoring the north end of the island. Armoring is not legal under our Land Development Code.
2. The County wants to leave in a clause to protect them from all liability when the expected erosion problem occurs.
3. The County wants our Town to use $250,000 of our limited tax dollars to pay for this newly contracted navigation project, which is the responsibility of the West Coast Inland Navigation District.
4. The County wants to keep all 4.6 miles of the signed federal 10-year property easements despite the fact that federal money will not be used for this new navigation project. On other area beaches property owners were given temporary construction easements or just made verbal agreements.
5. The County is trying to avoid our Land Development Code permitting process by pretending this is still “beach re-nourishment” in an effort to keep the Town from demanding a better designed terminal groin structure.
The current interlocal must be canceled and the federal property easements rescinded. Engineering proposals for proper management of Matanzas Pass must be solicited and approved through our permitting process to protect north end properties that have suffered recent rapid erosion created by the mismanaged 2009 dredging project. A new interlocal can then be negotiated for the improved navigation project, and property owners must be treated fairly by being offered the type of easements that other Lee County property owners have been offered.
Joanne Shamp
Fort Myers Beach