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The purpose of this current Sector 7 Beach and Dune Restoration Project update is to provide the BCC with the current status of the easements within Sector 7 and to request guidance on the project. In order for on -beach construction to start this upcoming season (November 2022 through April 2023), pre - construction monitoring must commence in upcoming spring/summer timeframe. This pre -construction monitoring is estimated to cost in excess of $250,000.00. In addition to pre -construction monitoring, modifications to the permitted fill templates will be required in advance of any beach nourishment activities, along with bidding and award consultant services. Many of these monitoring and design/permitting/bidding efforts are a duplication of tasks completed two years ago in advance of the expected 2020/2021 construction season which was put on hold due to the lack of easements obtained. Below is a summary of the Sector 7 Beach and Dune Restoration Project easements (as of 02/21/2022): SECTOR 7 182 Properties Total) Properties # % Targeted % Granted Easements 54 66% 90% Signed Easements Under Review/ Recording (In -Process) 1 1% Denied Easement — No Sand 15 18% Pending Responses 12 15% The County has continued to pursue obtaining the required easements by individually targeting the property owners that had yet to reply to repeated easement agreement requests, and by approaching new owners of properties previously responding with a denied easement. Additionally, local homeowner groups, spurred on by the desire to have their associations benefit from the placement of sand providing storm protective measures, reached out to those same property owners in an attempt to garnish an easement for the project, or gain an understanding as to the reasons for their non -participation. However, because denied easements currently account for 18% of the total easements, the targeted approval rate of 90% is currently unattainable. Assuming all pending responses grant easements, the highest approval rate that could be obtained is 82% which does not constitute a viable project. It is important to note that prior to the Sector 7 Beach and Dune Restoration project being put on hold multiple times, the County has spent more than $600,000 on the design, permitting and pre -construction monitoring that is required of a project of this magnitude. In addition, countless staff hours have been spent trying to obtain the easements necessary for a successful project. County staff had also arranged to rent property in the immediate vicinity of the Sector 7 project area for the anticipated 2020/2021 Sector 7 construction project to be used as a means for ingress and egress for nourishment related activities on the beach (approved by BCC on 7/14/2020). This property has since been sold and the agreement is no longer in place. The closest public access to the Sector 7 project area is approximately 1.8 miles to the south (Round Island Beach Park) which may require that off-road dumps travel seaward of the mean high-water line from Round Island to the project area in order to deliver sand. The County is currently faced with the need to begin an additional round of pre -construction monitoring in order to assess current field conditions prior to the 2022/2023 construction window. As the current number of recorded easements falls short of :he Board directed 90% value, Staff is seeking direction from the BCC on next steps. 76