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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final May 16, 2023 <br />Reacher, to approve stairs recommendation. The motion carried by the <br />following vote: <br />Aye: 5 - Chairman Earman, Vice Chairman Adams, Commissioner Flescher, <br />Commissioner Loar, and Commissioner Moss <br />E. Information Technology <br />F. Office of Management and Budget <br />G. Public Works <br />12.G.1. 23-0416 Indian River County Beaches - Sector 4 Post Hurricanes Ian and Nicole <br />Recommended Action: At this time, staff is seeking Board direction regarding the next steps pertaining to <br />Sector 4. Staff recommends the BCC continue to support Staff's on-going <br />discussions with FEMA, FDEM, FDEP and the regulatory permitting agencies in <br />order to continue to pursue funding sources for any potential future dune repair <br />project addressing the Sector 4 impacts from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole <br />Attachments: Staff Report <br />Sector 4 Storm Damage Report <br />Natural Resources Manager Eric Charest utilized a PowerPoint presentation to <br />discuss the status of the Sector 4 beach area which suffered damage to its dunes <br />in the wake of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022. Photos illustrated the deep <br />erosion of the dunes which posed a threat to infrastructure. Mr. Charest noted <br />that though the width of the dunes was severely diminished, the sand was <br />displaced but not lost; this would impact the qualifications for assistance. <br />Mr. Charest went on to describe the assistance programs from the Florida <br />Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Federal Emergency <br />Management Agency (FEMA). The FDEP repeatedly denied classifying Sector 4 <br />as a Critically Eroded Shoreline, which meant the County could not apply for cost <br />share funding to repair the dunes. Mr. Charest pointed out that the County would <br />have only been eligible for a 2.3 percent cost share because of limited public <br />access in this sector. Next, Mr. Charest reviewed findings from FEMA, which <br />classified Sector 4 as an Unimproved Natural Beach. As such, Sector 4 was <br />ineligible for funding received by other sectors which were categorized as <br />Engineered Beaches. FEMA also declared Sector 4 could not receive emergency <br />berm rehabilitation funding because FEMA measured the height, not width of the <br />dune. <br />This information was also presented to the Beach and Shores Preservation <br />Advisory (BSPAC) Committee on April 17, 2023, which resulted in two (2) <br />recommendations: 1) perform a dune -only restoration project in Sector 4; 2) <br />Indian River County Florida Page 17 <br />