PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The sandy shores on Indian Rocks Beach are part of what makes it paradise.
But like many people, Rich Withers has noticed a change.
"A lot of the sand dunes are gone,” said Withers. “Used to walk from these houses on the beach on a path through the dunes to get to the real beach. Now the beach starts right at the house."
Now Pinellas County leaders are pressing property owners to sign construction easements for the Sand Key beach nourishment project.
The county said without the easements, nourishment won't happen in Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, and Redington Shores.
"We need sand for storm protection, for property values, for tourism so our beaches don't go back to the way they were in the 1980s where we had seawalls and steps to get down to the water,” said Pinellas County Commissioner Kathleen Peters.
The deadline was initially Friday, but Pinellas officials said they will still accept signed easements that come in over the weekend.
"If we don't get all the easements, then we can't nourish the entire beach,” said Pinellas County Commission Chair Brian Scott. “Basically, what we have then is we have a bucket with holes in it, and we all know water's going to go where the least resistance is."
Unlike the easements required by the US Army Corps of Engineers for a federal project, the County’s easements make no reference to public access and also make sand dunes optional.
"You can definitely see the impacts of having less sand on the beaches these days,” said JT Corrales, the Director of Business Development for Crabby Bill’s.
The Original Crabby Bill's is steps away from the sand on Indian Rocks Beach.
Corrales said the beach is everything and has a direct impact on sales.
“We just know what a tremendous boost it would mean to this area,” said Corrales. “Being able to actually promote that there’s big sandy beaches over there for you to bring your family from wherever you live and come and enjoy the sunshine and all the beautiful things that Florida has to provide.”
Anyone in Indian Rocks beach, Indian Shores, or Redington Shores who wants to sign an easement can email SignforSand@pinellas.gov or call (727) 464-7799.
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