Commission OKs $16 million beach referendum

The Longboat Key Town Commission approved a $16 million referendum question proposed by Commissioner Phillip Younger Thursday evening.

The referendum would bring structures to the north end and allow for sand to be extracted from a future natural gas pipeline corridor at the bottom of the Gulf. The project, which could receive a $5 million credit from pipeline company Port Dolphin LLC, also would provide sand for other erosional hotspots island-wide where the town sees fit.

The commission voted 6-1 for the referendum question. Only Commissioner Hal Lenobel voted against it.

The commission also denied Thursday three different island-wide beach projects, ranging from $20 million to $34 million, that could have been performed in 2013-14. The commission chose to wait a year to place such a question on the ballot.

Younger and others believe an island-wide beach project at a cost of about $35 million is not necessary at this time.

The prevailing consensus on the commission Thursday was that adding the second beach question to the ballot would have caused the voters to reject both beach questions on the ballot because of high costs.

For more information, pick up a copy of the Jan. 13 edition of The Longboat Observer.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].