Okaloosa Commission cuts east Destin beaches out of the equation

DESTIN — Last week’s Florida Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the Walton County beach restoration project has led Okaloosa County commissioners to cut back on the upcoming work in Destin.

Commissioners approved two emergency amendments Tuesday to reduce the length of the Destin-Okaloosa Island restoration project by 1.5 miles and to amend the scope of the Municipal Services Benefit Unit that will partially fund the work.

The changes removed about 2,500 properties from the MSBU and could cut about $6 million from the estimated $26 million price tag, said Jim Trifilio, beach projects manager for the county’s Tourist Development Council.

“The Supreme Court has ruled that you have the authority to renourish beaches if they are critically eroded,” County Attorney John Dowd told commissioners.

The Destin-Okaloosa Island restoration project was planned to stretch from Henderson Beach State Recreation Area to the west jetty in Destin and from the western portion of Beasley Park to the El Matador condominiums on the island.

While the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has deemed the beach on Okaloosa Island and the western portion of the Destin segment to be critically eroded, the eastern portion of the beach in Destin has not been deemed critically eroded.

Destin beaches from the west jetty to roughly the western boundary of Sand Print Drive still will be restored. The work from Sand Print Drive east to Henderson Beach State Recreation Area has been canceled and the MSBU revoked for the properties in that area.

Dowd said the emergency amendments were needed to give Okaloosa County Property Appraiser Pete Smith time to certify the tax rolls without the MSBU fees for residents who are no longer in the MSBU. State law requires that tax rolls be certified by Oct. 17 and the next commission meeting is not until Oct. 21.

TDC Executive Director Darrel Jones said the reduction of the project will not lead to higher cost among property owners still in the MSBU. He hopes the project will start next year as planned.

Okaloosa Island condo owner and avid beach restoration critic David Sherry offered this response to the commission's decision.

"Today, the Okaloosa county commissioners voted to remove the Destin beachfront not designated as critically eroded from the MSBU and the beach restoration project.
 
The area removed today is roughly 2/3 of the Destin project area.  Here is how that impacts the funding formula:
 
Old Math
Project cost =  $25.9 million
State grants =  $ 8.0 million
TDC Bed Tax = $10.8 million
Shortfall requiring MSBU = $7.1 million
 
New Math
Project cost =  $16.9 million
State grants =  $ 8.0 million
TDC Bed Tax = $10.8 million
Shortfall requiring MSBU = minus $1.9 million
 
The area removed from the project does not impact either the state or TDC monies collected, but it removes over 2 miles of beach from the project.  Costs go down more than revenue.  The resulting savings means there is no need for an MSBU."