BEACH NOURISHMENT
BEACH EASEMENTS

PAID BY DON HOUSE FOR IRB CITY COMMISSION
I am uniquely qualified to address these issues for two reasons. First, I am the only candidate that lives on the beach, and second, over the past few decades I have attended more meetings, had more correspondence, and more conversations with persons concerned with these matters than all the other candidates combined. Part of this is because of my longevity on the beach, but also because these are important issues to most of us who live on the beach.  
The beach in the nineties. Hadn't grown much
A lot of misguided information has been disseminated over the past few years. The most truthful statement ever, came from an USACE representative when he made an off the cuff remark that to really protect the barrier island, there would have to be a dune system 20 feet tall with a 3 to 1 slope, uninterrupted from Ft. De Soto Park to Honeymoon Island. A dune system 120 feet wide with no John's Pass and no Clearwater Pass. When you think about it most of the flooding in our city during the 2024 storms came from the rising water in the Intracoastal. A dune system like this one would have gone a long way to preventing that. But can you imagine the total loss of a view of the Gulf, no boating access from the Intracoastal and trying to negotiate crossing something that size just to get to the water? Obviously this will never happen but it does demonstrate the fragile nature of our barrier island life style.
The Great Dune Boggle. A few weeks after all that work.
Beach Nourishment is fine, but should be viewed for what it is. Beach Nourishment is for the tourists. At best it provides minimal protection to the city or those of us living on the beach. In 2023 the county spent millions on the Great Dune Boggle. Half of this effort was washed away a few weeks after its completion. The rest, whatever hadn't weathered away, disappeared with the storms of 2024. The cost of trucking in the Great Dune Boggle is only half the cost. The private expense of removing what was left of those dunes from the front yards and pools of those that live on the beach combined with the city expense of removing the sand from the streets and runoff drains has to be factored in.
Beach Nourishment 2026
I have stated in multiple meetings that the dunes are nothing more than a sand castle waiting for the next high tide. Proof of this premise is evident by a quick walk on the beach today. A dune system other than one resembling the USACE description would provide little if any protection to the city and those living on the beach. Pursuing 100% signing of easements to this end is at best misleading and at worst a fool’s errand. Adding sand to expand the beach to attract more tourists, which support this town's economy is fine and over the years the beach has grown but added no protection from storms.
As a property owner on the beach, I enjoy Riparian Rights. And despite what you might have been told there is private beach in front of my house. Just like everyone else on the beach. Relinquishing these rights is a decision for each individual homeowner. I have not signed any easement and cannot foresee a reason to do so in the future. 
813-927-1096             house.don.election@gmail.com