Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/211425
Sarasota News Leader November 15, 2013 Page 62 The alternatives for long-term stabilization of Siesta Key architect Mark Smith — chairman the road included revetments and a seawall. of the Siesta Key Village Maintenance Corp. and a past chairman of both the Siesta Key A section of the Oct. 23 memo from James K. Harriott Jr., the county's chief engineer, and Chamber of Commerce and the Siesta Key Thai Tran, the county's transportation oper- Village Association — agrees with Patterson. ational manager, points to county policy that "states that 'Hardening of Gulf [of Mexico] beaches or passes shall be prohibited unless such hardening has been found to be in the public interest' and an additional Management Guideline for Beaches states, 'the use of artificial shoreline stabilization techniques (e.g., seawalls, groins, etc.) that interfere with natural beach processes could contribute to beach erosion, and/or interrupt lateral public pedestrian access along the beach [and] shall be prohibited except in the public interest and in accordance with County codes.'" "Hardening the shoreline is inconsistent" with county policy, he told the News Leader, as evidenced by the number of projects the County Commission has declined to approve over the past years. Among perhaps the most wellknown of those was a plea for some means to save the home of artist Syd Solomon, which stood on Blind Pass Road on the southern end of the island. Even Solomon's efforts to close Midnight Pass did not stop the erosion that ultimately necessitated demolition of the structure about 10 years ago Waves overlap North Beach Road as a result of Tropical Storm Debby's presence off the Florida coast in June 2012. Photo courtesy Sarasota County