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Indian River County Exhibit # Customary Use Hearing — October 2, 2018 James Gray Testimony I have been employed by the County for over'16 years. During this time I have held the,positions of Coastal Engineer and currently Natural Resources Manager: Although I manage several coastal programs "for the County; I am mainly responsible for implementing the:County's Beach Preservation Plan which divides the County's 22.4 miles of shoreline into 8:separate sectors and provides a restoration strategy for each sector designated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as critically eroded. Of the 22.4 miles of shoreline 15.7 miles are designated critically eroded and includes, Sectors 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. For the purpose of this hearing, th,e subject properties are located within the Sector 3 project area and extends approximately 2,000 feet north of the County's Wabasso Beach Park. As part of my beach management responsibilities, frequent visits to the beach are required to; assess the current beach condition,,assess pre and post storm beach conditions, observe beach restoration projects, conduct pre and post construction monitoring, and respond to .questions and concerns raised by the public. Under a normal frequency I typically visit the beach once per month to document the beach condition. During my beach visits, which includes the shoreline fronting Wabasso Beach Park and Summerplace properties, I usually observe people utilizing the beach collecting shells; sunbathing, surfing, exercising, etc. Until recently, I have never observed a private property owner restrict public access along the sandy beach throughout my tenure with the County. Additionally, after review of County files pertaining to beach studies and/or beach management I have not read or know of any private property owners restricting beach access prior to July 2018. Throughout my time with the County (2002=2018) 1 have managed five separate dune repair projects and two large scale beach nourishment projects within the -Sector 3 project area. Just like a roadway repair or maintenance project, and in the interest of public health and safety, the County temporarily restricts the public from accessing construction staging areas and active construction zones on the beach.. Temporary beach closures -can range from a few days to a few weeks and typically align with scheduled construction. In all cases the public is notified well in advance of beach closures and beaches reopen immediately at the end of construction.