THE FIRESTORM AFTER THE STORM: Desperate Destin homeowners challenge dredging permit (with PHOTOS and VIDEO)

If a challenge to Destin harbor dredging cost Holiday Isle a shot at beach restoration, will a second challenge turn things around?

In the wake of Tropical Storm Ida, the Holiday Isle Improvement Association, Destin Pointe, Jetty East, Inlet Reef, Holiday Surf and Racquet and The Islander Owners Association filed a petition with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, challenging a permit’s dredging plan for East Pass. The petition requests that the permit be modified to comply with statute 161, which states “All construction and maintenance dredgings of beach quality sand are placed on the adjacent eroding beaches.”

“It is clear that the east side of the East Pass is eroded as compared to the west, and technical studies have been conducted to document this erosion,” said President of the Holiday Isle Improvement Association John Medina in a statement. “Tropical Storm Ida, a small storm, did hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to homes and condominiums on Holiday Isle because we have either no beach or very little beach to protect our properties.”

Okaloosa County was close to receiving a permit for beach restoration for Destin and Okaloosa Island when multiple lawsuits were filed by homeowners who don’t want to participate. A group of Holiday Isle homeowners suggested that, while the county attempts to settle those lawsuits, the sand the Corp dredges could be used to rebuild the worst-eroded beaches.

Four Okaloosa Island homeowners objected that the state’s 10-year-old Inlet Management Plan requires the sand to be placed on Okaloosa Island. Homeowner David Sherry told The Log that while his property doesn’t need sand now, eventual erosion is inevitable without the dredged sand. Sherry said the harbor jetties interfere with the natural westward drift of sand, so what the island receives is what it’s entitled to by nature.

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A COLLECTION OF COVERAGE
For photos of the cleanup at Destin Pointe, click here.

To see photos from Jetty East and Destin Pointe immediately after the storm, click here.

Find out how much rain Destin saw from Ida, click here.

Read The Log’s take on the situation, click here.

Read the entire statement challenging the dredging permit online at the bottom of this article

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The four owners filed a challenge to the Corps’ state dredging permit, on the grounds that the permit didn’t guarantee Okaloosa Island will get the sand. They dropped the challenge after a DEP decision that none of the sand would go east of the harbor.

“To make matters worse, this permit is for ten years,” Medina said. “Therefore it would prohibit any sand dredged from the East Pass from being placed on our beaches for ten years.”

Erosion has been a problem on parts of Holiday Isle for several years, to the point that even storms that bypass Destin can eat away at the beach. Last year’s hurricane season cost Jetty East an estimated $300,000 in damages; Destin Pointe saw the storm surge from Hurricane Gustav undermine the community pool.

“We’ve got to do something,” Holiday Isle resident Guy Tadlock said Thursday. “We’re absolutely vulnerable to any of the little winter storms, and we’re going into hurricane season next year without any protection.”

Sherry told The Log this week that Ida “was pretty much a non-event for Okaloosa Island. Water barely made the base of the dunes and came nowhere near the building.” However, he said, the damage to Destin doesn’t change his position.

“They need to stop trying to solve their problems at the expense of others, especially us,” Sherry said. “I think this is the wrong approach for them and everyone. One more temporary Band-Aid is not the answer; it only forestalls a real solution.”

One of the Holiday Isle owners suing to block the beach restoration project is Roland Guidry of Oceania Condominiums. He said Oceania’s stretch of property added beach during Ida’s storm surge, “25 feet — that’s probably temporary, but we added beach.”

Guidry said the best solution for the eroded Holiday Isle properties was for them to support cutting Okaloosa Island, Oceania and other owners who didn’t want to participate out of the beach restoration project.
“If (the county) would restrict beach restoration to those that would really need it, it would probably happen faster,” Guidry said.

Medina maintained that Holiday Isle had no other option but to file the challenge.

“Restoring our beaches is critical to our economy,” Medina said. “Without some type of immediate renourishment, the next tropical storm or hurricane will cause millions of dollars of property damage and wipe out the tourist trade and real estate market in Destin for years.”

THE CHALLENGE

The full text of the complaint is as follows.

To: Commissioners, Councilors and Distinguished Officials                   date: Nov. 12, 2009
 
As you are aware the beaches in west Destin are in an emergency situation.  Tropical Storm Ida, a small storm, did hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to homes and condominiums on Holiday Isle because we have either no beach or very little beach to protect our properties.  The attached photographs show the damage at Jetty East and houses on Destin Pointe.  This minor storm has left the west beaches of Destin absolutely defenseless as we enter a new year and another season.
 
Restoring our beaches is critical to our economy.  Over 100,000 tourists stayed at the six beachside condominiums on Holiday Isle in 2008.  These tourist spent over $25,000,000 which is approximately 15% of the tourist spending in the City of Destin.  Without healthy beaches the tourist will not come, jobs will be lost and business will close.  Property values will decrease putting additional pressure on the City to decrease services or raise taxes to balance the budget.  Without some type of immediate renourishment, the next tropical storm or hurricane will cause millions of dollars of property damage and wipe out the tourist trade and real estate market in Destin for years.
 
On October 28, 2009 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) issued a permit to dredge the East Pass.  We had hoped this permit would permit the dredged sand to be placed on our beaches.  Unfortunately the issued permit specifically prohibits any sand dredged from being placed on the Destin beaches.  To make matters worse this permit is for ten years, therefore it would prohibit any sand dredged from the East Pass from being placed on our beaches for TEN YEARS.
 
On November 12, 2009 the Holiday Isle Improvement Association, Destin Pointe, Jetty East, Inlet Reef, Holiday Surf and Racquet and, The Islander Owner Associations filed a petition against FDEP to have this permit modified to comply with statute 161 which states "All construction and maintenance dredgings of beach quality sand are placed on the adjacent eroding beaches..."  It is clear the east side of East Pass is eroded as compared to the west and technical studies have been conducted to document this erosion.
 
This is an action we tried to avoid and regret having to take.  We do not want to delay the dredging of East Pass or in any way negatively affect our fishing fleet.  However, I think you will agree this is an emergency situation and we are justified in taking this action.
 
If the permit is modified it could result in the placement of 300,000 cubic yards of sand being placed on our beaches.  This is 36% of the total volume of sand planned for the major beach restoration project that is now being held up in court.  This sand could be placed on our beaches within two months.  In other words it is extremely important and crucial to the survival of our community and economy.  We request your support.
 
If you have any questions contact the Holiday Isle Improvement Association office at 837-4753.
 
John Medina
President, Board of Directors
Holiday Isle Improvement Association