Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/110922
Sarasota News Leader February 22, 2013 Page 24 those barrier islands and the particular things If there is a solution or a way to mitigate it, nonprofits do. Mote [Marine Laboratory], for maybe we should allow people to build there. example. Renourish beaches? I would not be an advocate of housing on the barrier islands, for example. I certainly Lumpkin: Adding more sand? Obviously our wouldn���t want a Walmart on a barrier island. beaches are our crown jewel of things that attract people. I think investment should be If you can take a barrier island and make it a made in our biggest tourist attraction. You see living laboratory, I would be an advocate of on TV or read in magazines, ���Best beaches; that if it was appropriate. I wouldn���t use them whitest sand.��� for commercial use, I don���t think. On the surface, I���d say yes, but I���d have to Or residential? study the environmental impact of that. ClearDorfman: No. ly there should be an effort to invest in our biggest draws. Renourish beaches? ��������� Dorfman: Absolutely. And there���s a lot more we can do to renourish the beaches. I wonder Parts of Sarasota ��� including St. Arif there is a way for the city to work with other mands Circle ��� are prone to flooding cities to build an economy of scale to work when high tides or storms create a rise together in beach renourishment. in sea level. Should the city continue to encourage development on its barrier is��������� lands? Parts of Sarasota ��� including St. Armands Circle ��� are prone to flooding Theisen: No. If somebody wants to develop when high tides or storms create a rise there, they need to understand their first floor in sea level. Should the city continue to is going to get washed out every few years. Or encourage development on its barrier is- every 100. I also think the insurance compalands? nies need to put their surcharges right there Lumpkin: I don���t know the answer to that. I instead of spread them out over the whole would have to consider the benefits of current community, which they do. development. Does the city take in significantRenourish beaches? ly more revenue by having people build houses and pay taxes than it is costing us to deal Theisen: [The city] shouldn���t be taxing the with these issues? local people for that. They are mostly getting And is there a way to find a long-term solution the money from grants for that purpose. But to the problem? If there is no way to find a some of it is local. They say, ���You really profit long-term solution to that flooding problem, from this,��� and we do. There was one year then maybe we shouldn���t; maybe that would we renourished the beach and a storm came through and took it all out. be irresponsible.