Army Corps extends comment period on sand plan


A Flagler County beach. (File photo by Jonathan Simmons.)
A Flagler County beach. (File photo by Jonathan Simmons.)
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District has extended the public comment period on its tentative Flagler County beach nourishment plan to March 15.

The public comment period was originally planned to be one month long and end Feb. 18, according to a news release from the Army Corps, but a number of people requested an extension.

"We want to be open and transparent with the public and if additional time will give them more clarity, then that's what we need to do," Project Manager Jason Harrah said in the news release.

The Army Corps studied 9.7 miles of Flagler County coastline during a feasibility study.

Its tentative plan involves a 10-foot extension of the current dune along 2.6 miles of the coast between Seventh Street and 28th Street in Flagler Beach, where erosion threatens infrastructure, including Oceanshore Boulevard and buildings along it.

"As the only north-south hurricane evacuation route for communities along the coastline, SR A1A is essential for public safety during evacuation events," according to the Army Corps news release.

Sand used to build the berm would be dredged from an offshore borrow site and pumped onto the beach, according to the news release.

After initial construction, the Army Corps would fix eroded areas about once every 11 years.

The feasibility study team "evaluated numerous alternatives, including no action; non-structural measures such as flood proofing, relocation, land acquisition, etc.; shore protection with hard structures such as seawalls, revetments, groins, etc.; shore protection with soft structures like beach nourishment, geotubes, etc.; combinations; and others," according to the news release.

To view the draft plan on the Flagler County website, CLICK HERE. To view documents presented during a public meeting about the plan held Feb. 5, CLICK HERE and then select the appropriate link at the bottom of the page.

The public can submit comments on the plan to [email protected] or by mail to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, Attn: Kathleen McConnell (CESAJ-PD-EC), 701 San Marco Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32207.

 

 

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