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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final November 5, 2024 Attachments: Staff Report Non Emergency Construction Access Emergency Construction Accces Draft Resolution Exhibit A Natural Resources Director Kylie Yanchula utilized a PowerPoint presentation to present the Coastal Construction Access Policies to the Board. She gave a brief history, stating that on January 31, 2023, the Board approved emergency beach access agreements for dune renourishment projects following Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, which caused significant coastal erosion. Eleven agreements were executed for property owners to access County land for their renourishment efforts. On March 5, 2024, the Board considered a late request to close Tracking Station Beach for private construction, but ultimately denied it due to insufficient information and timing. The Board directed staff to create a policy for handling similar requests in the future. Two policy documents were created, one for Non -emergency Coastal Construction Access and another for Emergency Access. Both outline eligibility criteria, application processes, fees, and inspection procedures and included a draft license agreement. The policies were presented to the Beach & Shores Advisory Committee on October 7, 2024, and all feedback was considered and incorporated into the drafts. In her presentation, she reviewed the eligibility criteria for non -emergency and emergency access, the approval process, and use fees. The Board and staff discussed the particulars of each policy. Commissioner Earman took issue with County Parks being closed to the public for private construction. Under discussion, it was stated that it was the property owner's responsibility to find a way to transport the sand from point A to point B. There was concern that the County would face criticism for the idea of closing a County Park to facilitate private beach renourishment on private property. Parks, Recreation & Conservation Director Beth Powell responded to Commissioner Earman that, to her knowledge, the County had not granted any authorization outside of Emergency Restoration due to the lack of an established process. She questioned whether previously authorized projects would meet the current parameters, as no formal process existed at that time. Ms. Yanchula pointed out that the policy explicitly stated that permission granting the use of a County Park; does not allow access through any private property between their property and the park. Therefore, property owners must plan their route during low tide to travel through that area. Indian River County Florida Page 13