Developer Weighs in on Dredging: Destin City Staff Has Stressed the Project Does Not Guarantee Pointe One Approval for Marina
By Patrick Mcdermott, Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach
Jan. 8–DESTIN — A dredging operation in the Destin Harbor won’t cost the city a dime, but what does it mean for a developer’s plan to build a marina there?
Later this month, the city’s harbor board is expected to weigh in on the proposed dredging project, headed by the city but paid for by Pointe One LLC.
The development company is behind the Pointe Beach and Yacht Club, an upscale condominium building to be built at the end of Norriego Point.
As part of the plans, Pointe One is looking to offer a marina on Norriego Point.
City staff has stressed the dredging does not guarantee Pointe One approval for the marina, a topic that could stir some controversy in Destin.
“We’ve made it very clear to them that they’re not (related), and they’ve not moved forward on any application for the marina,” said City Engineer Chuck Meister.
Aside from approval by the city, developers need a green light from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the marina.
Luke Evins, a managing member with Point One LLC, declined to comment on the dredging and the marina before public hearings are held.
George Eller, a charter boat captain, expressed his concern to the Destin City Council in November when the dredging proposal first surfaced, saying the company’s actions should not give them carte blanche with the marina.
“If we approve this, just don’t assume this is an automatic approval of the marina,” he said recently.
However, Eller said dredging out the harbor would remove the major objections to the marina.
“If the shoal was dredged out, it would make their project from a safety standpoint and a congestion standpoint moot,” he said.
His concern, and that of other captains, is that a marina on the south side would force traffic north into the commercial north shore. The dredging would solve that and only help the harbor in general, he said.
“Show me a dredged-out harbor, then we’ll talk about your project,” Eller said.
The first hurdle for the marina, DEP approval, hasn’t been cleared, said agency spokeswoman Sally Cooey. The application has been submitted and resubmitted a couple of times but nothing has been settled.
Cooey said she couldn’t speculate if a dredged-out navigation channel would improve the chances of the DEP giving the go-ahead for the marina.
The council will get a shot at discussing it after the harbor board makes its recommendation.
When it first came up in November, many on the council were surprised the application had already been filed without their consultation, and a motion was passed to suspend the permit application.
Councilman Kelly Windes, also a charter captain who navigates the harbor every day, said he thinks the dredging will help but has no objection to taking some time to discuss it.
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Copyright (c) 2007, Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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