County is facing a deadline in Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Redington Shores
LINKS TO VIDEO AND PHOTOS: Speakers and Q & A, Before and After nourishment photo
The Pinellas County Commission was well-represented Thursday at an event intended to urge property owners to sign construction easements for the Sand Key Beach Nourishment project. Without the easements – more than 170 are still unsigned – nourishment will not take place in Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores and Redington Shores. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 28.
Anyone in Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores or Redington Shores with questions or wishing to sign an easement can email [email protected] or call (727) 464-7799.
“Plain and simple, we need to get our beach nourishment projects done,” said Commissioner Kathleen Peters, who has helped lead the fight to get the Sand Key project authorized. “We need residents to sign their easements so we can do that. We need sand for storm protection, for property values, for tourism, and so our beaches don’t go back to the way they were in the 1980s, where they had seawalls and steps to get down to the water.”
Pinellas County and Indian Shores hosted a Signing Day on Thursday at the Indian Shores Municipal Center, and several elected officials came out to show their support. Peters was joined by County Commission Chair Brian Scott, fellow commissioners Dave Eggers and Chris Latvala, Florida Sen. Nick DiCeglie and Indian Shores mayor Diantha Schear.
“If we don’t get all the easements, and we can’t nourish the entire beach, basically what we have is a bucket with holes in it,” Chair Scott said. “And we all know water is going to go where the least resistance is, and that is not a resilient solution for us long-term. So please come down and sign your easement so we can get this project going.”
Property owners can find more information, including a sample easement and a link to a recent virtual project information meeting at https://pinellas.gov/coastal-