Bonita Springs looking for ways to pay for sand
Although the northern end of Bonita Beach won’t start seeing more sand until 2013, Bonita Springs staff is exploring ways to pay for the beach renourishment.
Replacing about 150,000 cubic yards of sand that has eroded along the three-quarter-mile stretch between Access 9 and Big Hickory Pass will cost an estimated $2.6 million.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Lee County and the city are expected to each contribute about a third, or almost $900,000.
Lee County’s share comes from taxes on tourists staying in rentals, hotels and motels.
To pay for its share, the Bonita Springs City Council could decide to implement a mandatory special assessment of property owners in the affected area. The council has already budgeted $178,000 from the general fund for the project.
Assistant City Manager John Gucciardo plans to ask the council late this year or early next year to decide whether to implement an assessment.
No specifics on who would pay how much have been worked out.
The last time the beach, also known as the northern end of Little Hickory Island, was widened was 2004. The city set aside $1.7 million from its general fund for the project.
Former Councilman Bob Wagner, who lives on Little Hickory Island, said the City Council used to put $100,000 into a beach renourishment fund every year but that money was used for other projects.Wagner opposes a special assessment.
“The people that live on the beach are already paying high enough property taxes. Why should they pay even more to fund a public beach?” Wagner said. “When you have a public beach, you should use public funding. The beach is a moneymaker for all citizens and businesses in Bonita Springs.”
For the 1995 beach renourishment, when Bonita was still part of unincorporated Lee, a special assessment district was created in which the owners of 560 condos neighboring the beach each paid $5,000.
“It made a lot of sense to go back to the people who know how to do this,” said City Attorney Audrey Vance, who is working with Lee on a potential agreement under which county staff would set up the special assessment.
She said those property owners receive a special benefit with the addition of sand.
“One of the main reasons you do it is to protect the property out there,” Vance said. “It is available for everyone. That’s a recreational component. The beach also provides protection against wave damage.”
Councilman Steven Slachta, who represents the beach district, said it’s premature to say what the best approach would be.
“I don’t think we have enough information yet; what it would cost if it was just the beach folks, what it would cost if we shared it with the entire community,” he said. “I would like to see all of us participate in it. … We all share that beautiful beach.”
Winston Church, president of the Bonita Beach Improvement Association, said the board has not taken a position.
Robert Neal, a coastal engineer with Lee County Natural Resources, said the $130,000 project design has just started. He said the county is covering $72,800, or 56 percent, and the city $57,200, or 44 percent.
The design has not received any state money.
“The state ranks projects based on eligibility and need and a lot to do with that is project length. Bonita Beach is pretty small compared to other projects around the state,” Neal said.
Neal said the county and city have asked the state for reimbursement.
“We’re proceeding as if we don’t (have state money), and if we receive that funding, then that’s a benefit,” he said.
He does expect the state to contribute its third for the $2.6 million construction.
“As the project moves closer to construction, they are at a higher priority list for the state,” Neal said.
Neal said the earliest sand would start to be pumped onto the beach would be spring 2013 and the project would take about six months.
To the north on Big Hickory Island, the Pelican Landing Community Association and Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa are still waiting on a state permit to place about 75,000 cubic yards of sand at a shared cost of $3 million.
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