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Destin Allows 'Armor': City Council Votes to Allow Property Owners to Build Sea Walls, Other Coastal Armoring

Posted on: Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 15:06 CDT

By Patrick Mcdermott, Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach

May 16--DESTIN -- Shorefront property owners looking to build sea walls or other forms of coastal armoring now have only the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in their way.

The Destin City Council voted unanimously Monday to remove restrictions that prohibit armoring, essentially stepping out of the process and leaving property owners to deal with the DEP directly.

Property owners had approached the city and said they believed they could get a permit to build if the city would change its rules, according to Mayor Craig Barker.

City Manager Greg Kisela said it takes the city "out of the middle."

Monday 's vote was the final reading on the amendment to the city's comprehensive plan. The city had unanimously approved the measure on its first reading three months ago.

Barker said property owners since then have been putting applications together in the hope they meet the DEP's "eligible and vulnerable" requirements. Now officially approved by the city, the DEP can issue permits.

"It'll be interesting to see if anything changes," Barker said.

While no residents spoke on the issue Monday, about five people spoke in favor of allowing armoring at the ordinance's first reading.

"Right now we are just helpless in the face of another hurricane," resident Mac Hammond said in February.

While it remains to be seen who will get the permits, one area the DEP would not approve for armoring is east of Henderson Beach State Park, which is slated for beach restoration.

The joint project with Walton County seemed like it would be shut down by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers until October after the death of an endangered sea turtle last week.

With a certain amount of allowed "takes" each year, there was a danger of running over the limit.

But the project will soon be back under way after an agreement was reached to essentially "borrow" a turtle take from a neighboring district.

Almost half of the project was completed at the time of the shutdown, but crews had yet to reach Destin. Now that work can continue, restoration should reach the Destin line in early June.

Destin has also been working on a separate emergency sand berm project for Holiday Isle. Kisela said about 40,000 cubic yards of sand were moved before work stopped Monday.

Destin was allowed to work into turtle season only until May 15.

Now, sea oats and fencing will be installed along the berm, designed as a protective measure for upland structures. Daily News Staff Writer Patrick McDermott can be reached at 863-1111, Ext. 394.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach

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Source: Northwest Florida Daily News

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