At the direction of the St. Johns County Commission, a buyout program is being prepared for residents of Summer Haven, an area in southern St. Johns County that was devastated during the nor’easter a couple of weeks ago.
It’s uncertain yet how many properties might be involved.
Recommended Videos
At this week’s commission meeting, Chairman Henry Dean suggested the Summer Haven area might be transformed into a wildlife refuge, as was done years ago on Merritt Island in Brevard County.
There was a significant breach from the nor’easter in Summer Haven, and Sky 4 aerials appeared to show Wednesday that the breach is now a new inlet.
“The ocean is taking the land back,” said one commissioner during the commission meeting Tuesday afternoon.
Another commissioner called Sumer Haven the “most volatile stretch of beach” in Florida and suggested the buyout.
County officials estimate erosion from the nor’easter in the Summer Haven area will cost more than $1 million to repair and said they need to get with state and federal agencies to come up with a strategy of “managed retreat” from Summer Haven.
The commission issued a coastal storm event proclamation so homeowners could apply for state permits to repair their damaged sea walls.
Applications need to be submitted within 30 days from the initial coastal event. Properties built after March 17, 1985, are not eligible. A complete list of eligibility requirements is available here.
Two homes in South Ponte Vedra have failing sea walls to the point the homes are in danger of collapse. The commissioners approved $120,000 for repairs to the South Ponte Vedra Beach Pavilion.
Crews had been working on building back the dunes for quite some time, but much of that progress was washed away during the recent nor’easter.
St. Johns County staff has also contacted other agencies like the Department of Transportation and the Department of Environmental Protection for help fixing the problem.