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INDIAN SHORES, Fla. — Pinellas County leaders are looking to move forward with the Sand Key Beach Nourishment project that would help bring in sand to create dunes and plant sea grass to keep the sand in place.
The county says the Army Corps of Engineers requires that all property owners sign easements allowing public access and use wherever sand is placed.
Local leaders say they still need signatures in areas like Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores and Redington Shores.
Indian Shores business owner Greg Bouman runs the Indian Shores Coffee company that is near the shore. He is worried about the nourishment project and the fact that the county is still trying to collect about 150 signatures from property owners to make repairs to the beaches.
His business was hit hard by storm surge from Hurricane Helene and has been closed since.
“I think it has to be done because that’s the only thing stopping the water from coming over. Even the storm that affected us, if it hadn’t happened exactly at high tide, we wouldn’t have had this issue at all," Bouman said.
"If it would have been two hours before or after, the water wouldn’t have come across the road. So, the height of the sand is vital – that and the sea grass that keeps the sand there,” Bouman said.
Pinellas County officials say that about seven feet of sand was lost during the hurricanes. Just last week, county representatives reached out to Washington for help to get past some of the red tape that’s held up the efforts for years.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s office said she he sent a letter to President Trump asking that he direct the Army Corps of Engineers to send federal money to Pinellas County. She also urged the Army Corps to waive easement policy requirements.
