The following report represents the status of our beach parks projects as of May 18, 2009

SOUTH CAUSEWAY PARK SHORT TERM IMPROVEMENTS.
The work is complete and there will be no further major projects in the foreseeable future. Minor landscaping will be ongoing.

KIMBERLY BERGALIS/ SURFSIDE.
The necessary DEP permit is in hand. The materials for the shelters, large pavilion, and restrooms have been ordered. The RFP(Request For Proposals) for construction will be ready for advertisement by the middle of June.

INLET LINEAR PARK.
The Army Corps of Engineers lease agreement with the City is ready for Commission approval at their June 1 meeting. After that, the removal of the docks and site work can proceed.

JETTY PARK.
The project is ready to begin upon approval of a Florida Department of Environmental Protection Coastal Construction Line permit which will take at least 90 days to acquire.

The County is holding a public workshop for community input on a potential sand-bypassing project at our Inlet. It will be held Wednesday, June 10 from 6-8 pm in the County Commission chambers. “The area being evaluated includes the inside of the northern shoreline of Fort Pierce Inlet and Jetty. A basin is being considered in this general location to capture sand entering the inlet for transfer (bypassing) to the beaches south of the inlet.”

The County also has a 6 groin project in the works which will alleviate much of the extensive erosion directly South of the Jetty. The 6 groins will stretch approximately 2000ft South from the Jetty. This project is still 2 to 3 years from construction. While there is no question that we would be able to decrease our renourishment interval from 2-4 years and our sand volume requirement by at least 73,500 cubic yards per year and, could simply move the “hot erosion spot” from the Jetty to someplace further south along our beachfront.

I will continue to monitor these two items and keep you informed.

The Parks Advisory Committee is close to finishing their task of making recommendations regarding; vendors in our parks, oversized vehicles parking in our parks, and codifying the park ordinances. We expect to report to the Commission in July.

Arden Peck
Chair Beach and Parks Committee