Town manager requests WCIND assistance

Town Manager Bruce St. Denis sent a letter to West Coast Inland Navigation District Executive Director Chuck Listkowski Feb. 1 to get the district’s cooperation and involvement in a study of Longboat Pass.

The study, for which the town of Longboat Key and Manatee County are splitting the cost, will be performed later this year to decide what needs to be done to the pass to stop erosion on both Longboat Key near the North Shore Road beach access and Anna Maria Island at Coquina Beach.

Wrote St. Denis: “On Feb. 1, the Town Commission will address an agenda item that will fund one-half the cost of an Inlet Management Plan study. If that plan is approved the study that results will focus on the impact of the inlet on Manatee County and Longboat Key beaches. It will also serve as an opportunity to work cooperatively with WCIND to maximize both navigation management and beach performance.”

St. Denis proposes working with WCIND on this study to promote the interests of WCIND and the beach communities Longboat Pass affects.

The town manager also proposes WCIND provide its own data and resources of a study it performed last year, which will help assist the town and Manatee County as it performs its own study.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].