Summer Haven residents ask commissioners for help with breach from November nor’easter

2 years ago 341

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – “We request your help”: That was the connection from Summer Haven residents to the St. Johns County Commission connected Tuesday regarding the breach that was created from past month’s nor’easter.

A fewer homes on aged A1A are imminently threatened by the breach, but Summer Haven is simply a assemblage that numbers 275 homes, astir of them on the Summer Haven River, and residents consciousness the commission’s proposition to look for a “managed retreat” from the area, including buyouts, is moving guardant without their input.

Larry Monahan and Ken Manning correspond the Summer Island and Barrataria Island homeowners. They pointed retired that Summer Haven has a full spot worth of $160 cardinal and pays $1.5 cardinal successful spot taxes each year, and those residents accidental ignoring the breach is simply a large interest and the menace is increasing arsenic the breach changes the travel successful the Summer Haven River.

Manning said the breach is causing “substantial erosion successful the Matanzas Inlet,” and posing a increasing hazard to 200 properties and infrastructure, including to A1A, the lone evacuation way successful the area.

They privation the committee to capable the breach arsenic soon arsenic possible.

The commission, though, is reluctant to walk $1 cardinal connected a task that could get washed distant successful the adjacent storm. Commissioner Paul Waldron said that would beryllium “disheartening.” He said that if homeowners request to use for exigency permits from the authorities to support their property, the committee would assistance successful the process.

Commissioner Henry Dean said “Mother Nature is conscionable overwhelming” on that portion of the shoreline. He wants to spot the breach filled and said immoderate buyouts successful the country would beryllium voluntary.

Manning said the homeowners mightiness prosecute a coastal technologist to travel up with a long-range plan.

Priscilla Galit lives on aged A1A. She said she knew the risks erstwhile she bought her location backmost successful 2019.

“Living here, you instrumentality a chance,” she said. “It’s a beauteous place. It’s 1 of the past earthy places successful Florida that I consciousness similar they’ve near alone, but unfortunately, Mother Nature wants to travel successful and bash her thing.”

A municipality hallway gathering volition beryllium scheduled to sermon however to blunt the ongoing erosion — which mightiness see dredging the Summer Haven River. Everyone seemingly agrees thing has to beryllium done sooner, not later.