Newly planted sea oats in Highland Beach are expected to help stablize the dunes.
By Rich Pollack
With the impact of Hurricane Sandy still being felt along its coastline, the town of Highland Beach is seeking a consultant to determine what can be done to restore the affected beach and what might be done to prevent further beach erosion.
The Town Commission, at its meeting in December, authorized a search for a coastal engineer who could provide the town with short-term and long-term options to address beach issues caused by Sandy and their estimated costs.
The action came in the wake of requests from several residents with beachfront property seeking help from the town.
“This is the first step, and it’s a good first step,” said resident Al Giachetti, who has spoken before the commission repeatedly seeking solutions to the beach erosion issue since Hurricane Sandy arrived in October.
While all of the 3.5 miles of beach within the town’s limits were affected by the high seas kicked up by Sandy, the beaches on the southern end were hardest-hit. “The south mile only has a beach at low tide,” Giachetti said. While residents have been seeking town assistance in getting the beach restored, town officials says they are limited in what they can do, in large part because all of the beaches in Highland Beach are private beaches — above the high tide mark — and there is no public access to the beach within the town limits.
“In many ways, our hands are tied,” said Town Manager Kathleen Weiser. “We just don’t have jurisdiction over the beach.” Since the beaches are private, the town is not eligible for federal beach restoration financing. The responsibility for repairing any damage to sand dunes or structures along the dune, such as stairways, lies with private property owners, not the town, Weiser said. They have until Jan. 27 to apply for dune restoration permits.
“Our hearts go out to the residents, and we’re doing what we can within the confines of our jurisdiction,” she said. Residents, who argue that having a attractive beach benefits all the town’s residents, have suggested a variety of solutions, among them financing a beach restoration project using a bond issue, which would require a referendum.
“None of us knows what the best course of action is, that’s what we’re hoping to find out from a coastal engineer,” she said. The engineering firm will provide cost and time estimates for available beach restoration options.
Commissioners of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District had hoped the City of Boca Raton would receive money from FEMA for beach restoration after Sandy, but that hope was dashed with FEMA’s decision to give no money for Florida’s beaches.
The board recently reimbursed Boca Raton $2 million, in addition to $2 million already paid, for beach restoration that took place several years ago.
Cheryl Blackerby contributed to this report.
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