Sand loss at north end continues

The erosion of sand at the North Shore Road beach access has Longboat Key resident Gene Jaleski urging town officials to take action to make the beach access there safer.

In an Oct. 29 email to Town Manager Dave Bullock and Commissioner Phill Younger, Jaleski states that beach erosion over the last two weeks “now extends from the access point to the groins,” making it more difficult for beachgoers to walk on the beach where an estimated 18-foot beach escarpment now exists along the shoreline.

In two months time, the shoreline near the North Shore Road beach access has lost approximately 5,000 cubic yards of sand that was placed in and around two groins built to stop the rapid flow of island sand from being dumped into Longboat Pass.

Younger credits the loss of sand to an engineering shortfall, while town staff claims the loss of sand is attributed to two stormy months from Mother Nature and a wait-and-see approach to the groins as the shoreline adjusts to the structures.

The town is waiting for a federal permit that will allow a Longboat Pass dredging project to bring approximately 200,000 cubic yards of sand to the north end.

The Town Commission decided last month to hold off on adjusting the groins while the shoreline adjusts to the presence of the new groins.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].