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"It's going to challenge us in ways we have not yet come to grips with," Bullock said. We spend lots of time and money trying to improve our beaches, he added, and little of the same considering how nature is chang- ing. He called the lack of action by the state and federal governments "unfortunate" and offered a warning: "This will be the most compelling issue we have to deal with in the coming decades." And so the island is taking a leading role in developing adaptations that residents hope will safeguard the key's future. Spurred by an Urban Land Institute study that made several recommendations on how the town should rewrite its comprehensive plan and land development code, Longboat is working with the University of Florida (UF) to apply for a grant that would provide resources to incor- porate sea level rise into those land-use and zoning decisions. Longboat signed an interlocal agreement with UF in 2013 for the school to help the town with planning issues. The university reached out to Longboat with the idea of applying for funding through Florida Sea Grant, which is a program in partnership with UF, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other agencies. Sea Grant had issued a call for applications for "coastal resilience research proposals" it will begin funding this December and running through August 2016. It identified develop- ing "innovative approaches that help coastal communities implement policies and plans A hole on a Longboat golf course is adjacent to the water. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota News Leader August 8 & 15, 2014 Page 16