Management & Planning Session - April 9, 2025 (2025-04-09)

Fort Myers Beach Management & Planning Session

Town Hall Council Chambers 2731 Oak Street Fort Myers Beach,FL 33931 Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Minutes

9:00 AM

ORDER OF BUSINESS

I. CALL TO ORDER

Members present: Mayor Allers, Vice Mayor Atterholt, Council Member King Council Member Safford and Council Member Woodson.

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION

A. PRESENTATION- Wave Mitigation Wall

Elizabeth Fountain, P.E., CFM Director of Floodplain Management and Stormwater Design J.R. Evans Engineering, P.A.

Elizabeth Fountain from J.R. Evans Engineering reviewed her experience on the beach. She described wave mitigation walls as three to three and a half feet above grade and they disrupted the wave action during hurricanes. The walls have been successfully installed throughout coastal Florida. She utilized PowerPoint in her presentation. Slides included a Map, Wave Dissipation Wall at the Hyatt in Clearwater Beach, Wave Dissipation Wall Plan View, Wyndham Grand Wave Dissipation Wall Plan View, Street View of Clearwater Hyatt Wall, and the Clearwater Wyndham Grande Wall. She suggested that the walls could be used in Times Square and noted they were adding them to the Outrigger property. Mayor Allers was familiar with the walls and indicated it would be great to have them along the length of the beach. He added that lights were built in and drinking fountains with water stations were installed along the way.

Ms. Fountain indicated that the wave walls were built to disrupt the wave action, while sea walls were designed for stability. She noted that boardwalks were not linked to the wave walls. The cost ranges from $500.00 to $750.00 per linear foot. The 300-foot wall installed at the Bonita Beach Club cost approximately $240,000.00. They would run coastal models to determine the parameters for the design and provide a rendering.

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Mayor Allers commented that Grand Resorts provided modeling for them to review. The wall at Wyndham was completed in 30 days, but it was a short wall. She discussed potential permits and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) involvement. She estimated it could take a year to complete the process, including construction. Ms.Fountain described the pending grant funding for the Bonita Beach Club wall. The wall is constructed behind the dunes and the coastal construction control line.

Council Member Woodson felt this was probably the most important thing they could do for the island and supported moving forward. She suggested adding the topic to the next agenda. Mayor Allers agreed it should be discussed further and would be valuable, especially if grants were secured. He encouraged people to go to Clearwater to see their wall. Ms.Fountain added that they could check out the wall at the condominiums on Bonita Beach.

Ms. Fountain described the people working for J.R. Evans Engineering. She believed that dune restoration plus vegetation was the one thing every coastal community should look at doing first. She will return with more information, including grant sources. She described how the walls would benefit properties across the street from the Outrigger.

B. FY25/26 Budget Hearing Dates

Set FY25/26 budget hearing dates

Council Member Safford will be out of the country until September 9,2025. Finance Director Joe Onzick stated that the budget must be approved by September 30,2025. The evening and regular council meetings will be on September 11,2025,and September 24,2025.The regular meetings will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the evening meetings at 5:01 p.m. There will not be an M&P meeting in September.

Director Onzick noted they could wait until August 4,2025,to set the maximum millage rate. Council members agreed.Director Onzick expressed his opinion about whether the millage rate could stay the same,but there were factors involved.

Council Member King moved to adjourn, seconded by Vice Mayor Atterholt. The motion carried unanimously.

IV. AGENDA MANAGEMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 10:06 AM.

A. April 2025

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Minutes adopted as presented, April 21, 2025. Motion by Council Member King and seconded by Council Member Safford. Passed 5-0.

Amy Baker, Town Clerk