By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Question: Why is public money being spent to place sand on properties that are owned by beachfront property owners who might be perceived by many as wealthy? Answer – Public money is being spent on beach renourishment to protect the entire island. If the beach goes away (as sadly some of it has due to Hurricane Ian), public infrastructure and private property on the island that is not beachfront will likely suffer damages in future weather events. read more… Question: Are beachfront property owners required to sign an easement and agree to beach renourishment? Answer – No. A beachfront property is not required to sign an easement, but without an easement, the Town will not place sand and take appropriate actions to maintain the beach in front of properties when the owners of the properties decline to sign an easement. read more… Question: Is there a form easement agreement that must be signed to get publicly funded beach renourishment, and can each property
owner make changes to the form easement agreement? Answer – There is a form easement agreement that can be viewed and downloaded on the Town’s website at www.fmbgov.com/beach. read more… Question: When must signed easements be delivered to the Town to participate in the beach renourishment program? Answer – There is a deadline of Friday, August 18, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. The deadline has been extended into August as the Town waits on the US Army Corps (USACE) to issue the permit. Once the USACE permit is issued, staff will move quickly to issue the invitation to bid. Staff will make every effort to include late easements into the project, but waiting to sign may jeopardize the properties inclusion into the project. More information regarding the easements is on the town’s website at www.fmbgov.com/beach. Questions can be sent by email to Chadd Chustz, the Town’s Environmental Projects Manager, at chadd@fmbgov.com.
Fort Myers Beach Observer
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STAFF REPORT The Town of Fort Myers Beach announced that the deadline for property owners to sign easements on their land for beach renourishment has been extended to Aug. 18. The town has been working with the United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) on replacing the sand which was washed away by Hurricane Ian. In an attempt to address questions and concerns about the easements, the town posted the following series of frequently asked questions and answers regarding the subject on its website: Question: Does the placement of publicly funded sand on private property give the public the right to use or access private beachfront property? Answer – No. The placement of publicly funded sand does not make the privately owned portion of the beach a public beach. In addition, the public does not have the right to traverse private property to reach the public beach seaward of the ECL/MHWL. read more…
The Town of Fort Myers Beach Town Hall was reduced to a massive pile of rubble Friday after it was demolished by the town, more than 10 months after Hurricane Ian tore it to pieces. The future of a new town hall is still not precisely clear as the town awaits funding. The town has applied to the state for partial funding for a new town hall though this year's state budget did not include specific line-item funding for a town hall replacement. The town has applied to the state Division of Emergency Management for partial funding through either grants or loans to help pay for a portion of the town hall replacement. State legislators sent over a request for $25 million for a new town hall, but it was not included in the budget passed by the state legislature. The town could still acquire funding for the town hall as part of $350 million in Hurricane Ian recovery funds that are available statewide as part of the state budget. The town's funding plans for the town hall are still not clear. A message left with Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Andy Hyatt and Town of Fort Myers Beach Communications Director Jennifer Dexter was not immediately returned. Town officials have been in talks with the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District about swapping ownership of the town hall property with the fire district's two lots where the former Topps supermarket was. The town has been using the fire district's lot for its temporary office trailer offices. Under that scenario, the town would construct a new town hall where its trailers are. The fire department has been looking to construct a new fire station to replace its station on Donora Blvd., which was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. The fire department is also looking to construct an administrative building and training facility off island.
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Town extends deadline for Town Hall demolished beach renourishment easements