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BPickelTDC

Beach Lover
Jun 30, 2006
115
0
Hello all. Here is the new update for the week.

Western Walton County Beach Restoration Project Timetable
December 18, 2006

Construction is continuing with no mechanical or weather delays since the restart on December 2nd. The project has now been completed between Mediterranea Condominiums and the previous stopping point at Frangista Beach, and the project is now moving westward into the Miramar Regional Beach Access Area. This week approximately 1,750 feet of beach was constructed. To date, we have completed approximately 21,600 feet, which is about 78.8% of the Walton County portion and 57.3% of the total project. Only 3,600 feet remain until the completion of the Walton County segment. The following areas are expected to be under construction in the next three weeks barring inclement weather or mechanical difficulties.

Week of December 17th
  • Construction is expected to be completed at the Pompano Joe’s Restaurant and moving through the Miramar Beach Regional Beach Access Area and Crystal View
Week of December 24th
  • Construction is expected to continue through the Crystal View and Avalon Beach area
  • Construction is expected to restart at a second landing near the Walton/Okaloosa County line and build eastward through Quiet Surf, Emerald Shores and Gulf View
Week of December 31st
  • Construction is expected to continue moving eastward through Beach Retreat and Maravilla
For continually updated information visit the project website: www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com.
 
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BPickelTDC

Beach Lover
Jun 30, 2006
115
0
Sorry I missed last week, but in case anyone is interested we are less then three weeks to completion..

Brad

Western Walton County Beach Restoration Project Timetable
January 2, 2007


Happy New Year and this should be the last month that I will be providing these updates for the Western Walton County Project. As you can see below, we estimate that we are within three weeks of completion. This past week we had a refueling on Friday and a weather delay for most of Saturday and Sunday. Project construction will be completed from the first landing at Mediterranea Condominiums on Wednesday, January 3 and work will restarted near the Walton/Okaloosa County line building back eastward to tie-in to the existing project. Through January 1, we have completed approximately 22,700 feet, which is about 90.1% of the Walton County portion and 60.2% of the total project. Only about 2,500 feet remain until the completion of the Walton County segment. The following areas are expected to be under construction in the next three weeks barring inclement weather or mechanical difficulties.

Week of December 31st
  • Construction completed for the western segment of the first landing in the Avalon Beach area
  • Construction is restarted at a second landing approximately 200 feet east of the Walton/Okaloosa County line and will be building eastward through Quiet Surf, Emerald Shores and Gulf View
Week of January 7th
  • Construction is expected to continue moving eastward through Gulf View, Gulf Winds East and into the Beach Retreat area
Week of January 14th
  • Construction is expected to continue moving eastward through Beach Retreat and Maravilla leading to final completion of the Walton County segment of the project
For continually updated information visit the project website: www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com.
 

BPickelTDC

Beach Lover
Jun 30, 2006
115
0
Less then 2 weeks to go :D ...Brad

Western Walton County Beach Restoration Project Timetable


January 8, 2007

Due to rough seas at the end of the week, there were construction delays for parts of Thursday and Friday for the Western Walton County Project. Construction is continuing from 200 feet east of the Walton/Okaloosa County line building eastward to tie-in to the previously constructed project area. Through January 7th, approximately 23,300 feet of beach has been restored and accounts for 92.4% of the Walton County portion and 61.8% of the total project. Only about 1,900 feet remain until the completion of the Walton County segment. The following areas are expected to be under construction in the next two weeks barring inclement weather or mechanical difficulties.

Week of January 7th
  • Construction is expected to continue moving eastward through Emerald Shores, Gulf View, Gulf Winds East, and entering the Beach Retreat area
Week of January 14th
  • Construction is expected to continue moving eastward through Beach Retreat, Maravilla and the remaining sections of Walton County leading to final completion of the Walton County segment of the project
For information regarding future restoration activities along the 30-A beach communities in Walton County, please visit our website: www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com, or call Brad Pickel, Director of Beach Management, at (850) 267-1216.

For information regarding beach restoration in the City of Destin, please contact the City of Destin City Hall at (850) 837-4242
 

BPickelTDC

Beach Lover
Jun 30, 2006
115
0
Hello all. Below is the press release marking the completion of the Walton County segment of the Walton County/Destin Beach Restoration Project. Let me know if you have any questions.

Brad


BEACH RESTORATION COMPLETE FOR WESTERN WALTON COUNTY
The Walton County TDC moves to Phase II beach restoration for the 30-A Corridor

WALTON COUNTY, Fla.-(Jan. 19, 2007) - After seven years in the making, the Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC) announces the completion of the Western Walton County Beach Nourishment Project. This project was vital in providing upland protection from future storm surge and for the economic vitality of the county through tourism. The project restored 26,200 feet of beach over five miles in Western Walton County, adding 75-100 feet of beach in these areas.
"It is important to note that this project is a result of a small group of tourism leaders along with the Walton County Commission who had the foresight in 1999 to enact an additional one cent of tourist occupancy tax to be earmarked for specifically for beach nourishment activities, eliminating any financial burden on the county," said Kriss Titus, executive director of the Walton County TDC.
The project was a joint effort between Walton County and the City of Destin, and the overall cost of the project was proposed at $27,733,399 of which Walton County's responsibility was $19,136,045. The Walton County portion of the project was paid for using bed tax collections, state grants, and a loan that is pledged against future bed tax revenue. Bed tax is paid by visitors on short term rentals.
Now that the project has been completed, many find it hard to believe that it took so long. The process began in 2000, after Hurricane Opal and Hurricane Georges, at which time the beaches in Western Walton County were deemed "critically eroded" by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and qualified for state funding for a large scale beach restoration project. In the same year, the TDC hired a full-time coastal scientist, Brad Pickel, to take the county through the scientific process.
After the completion of a sand source investigation in 2002, which identified quality sand of the same color, size and composition at Destin's East Pass, the TDC partnered with the county to have Taylor Engineering create a plan for the nourishment of Western Walton County beaches. In 2003, the permitting process began. Moving through this laborious task of gaining permitting, the county faced some unplanned delays. In 2004, a small group of homeowners who opposed the project filed an injunction and began a lawsuit to stop the project. While this was tied up in the legal system, Hurricane Ivan rolled through in 2004, and Tropical Storm Arlene and Hurricane Dennis in 2005.
The project finally mobilized in January 2006 and was slated for a 150-day construction timeline. Unfortunately, the project was further delayed by several turtle takings, which shut down the project in May. After getting the permit reinstated in August, it took several months to identify an available dredge through Great Lakes Dredge and Dock. After remobilization in November, the Western Walton County portion of the project is finally completed.
The Dodge Island Dredge will now depart the project in order to complete previously committed project work on the East Coast. Great Lakes Dredge and Dock plans to mobilize the original dredge, the Liberty Island, to begin the Destin portion in April, which they anticipate to be completed in 45-50 days.
"Through all the permitting challenges and project delays, the community has been wonderful to work with and we are happy that Phase I is complete. Numerous individuals worked to bring the project to fruition and I am proud to have been part of such an excellent team," said Brad Pickel, director of beach management with the Walton County TDC. "We'll now be focusing on the Phase II project for beaches along the 30-A corridor."
The process began for the beaches along the 30-A corridor after Hurricane Dennis in 2005, when DEP deemed 9.3 miles of beaches along the 30-A corridor as "critically eroded." Taylor Engineering recently completed the sand source investigation. Now these beaches must be resurveyed in order to finalize the design and create the necessary permitting documents. Permit applications will be submitted to the state and federal agencies by the end of May 2007. While it is unclear how long the permitting process will take, county officials are hopeful that permits will be granted within 12 months. Other factors that will impact the project timeline include funding, and the case before the Florida Supreme Court.
The economic vitality to the region is heavily dependant on the area's beaches, and research shows that the beaches are the number one reason people visit the area. Last year, Walton County's beaches attracted 2.5 million visitors, who spent approximately $684.9 million in Walton County. Tourism supports more than 10,275 jobs and generates approximately $257 million in local income annually. A recent study by the Center for Urban & Environmental Solutions at Florida Atlantic University revealed that beach nourishment also protects the value of upland properties. Single family properties upland of nourished beaches increased more than 30 percent, twice the increase in properties upland of beaches that had not been nourished.
For information regarding Phase II beach restoration project along the 30-A corridor, please visit our website: www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com, or call Brad Pickel, director of beach management, at (850) 267-1216.
 

Miss Kitty

Meow
Jun 10, 2005
47,017
1,131
70
:clap_1: ...thanks Brad! Here's hoping it won't take 7 years for our end to be started/completed.
 
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