​Emergency Beach Dune Restoration Project Planned In Treasure Island

TREASURE ISLAND, FL — In partnership with Pinellas County, the city of Treasure Island is undertaking an emergency beach dune restoration project.

This is not related to the beach renourishment project, which is on hold by the Army Corps of Engineers.

This emergency beach dune restoration project is a result of the 40-year-old beach dune system being damaged by Hurricane Idalia.

The project area consists mostly of the properties between the Tern parking lot and Beach Pavilion on the south part of Sunset Beach at approximately 8000 West Gulf Blvd. and 9940 Gulf Blvd. The city is working with a specific list of properties where the county requires a signed temporary construction easement to construct the project.

This temporary three-year easement is for access and dune restoration for property that is 20 feet east of the Coastal Construction Control Line. The goal to start the project is the week ending Sept. 18.

The first phase consists of bringing in sand and secondary planting phases. This project also consists of temporary armoring with large sandbags, approximately 4 feet tall, that will later be removed once the dunes and beach are stabilized. Temporary armoring will be placed in the portions of the beach where the beach is too narrow for sand alone.

To complete this project, Sunset Beach south of Caddy's, 9000 West Gulf Blvd., will be closed to visitors beginning on Sept. 20. All Sunset Beach parking will be closed, and beach access will not be permitted for the duration of the construction which is anticipated to take at least one month to complete.

The city is still working with some homeowners to get temporary construction easements signed and is asking homeowners to contact the city as soon as possible. Notaries are available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at City Hall located at 120 108th Ave., in the Building Department located at the rear of City Hall.

Call the building department with any questions or for additional information, call 727-547-4575, ext. 230.

If you are one of the affected property owners, email any questions to zoning@mytreausureisland.org with your address and your question. The city will gather a list of frequently asked questions and post the answers on its website.