Subject:
Title
South Beaches 2025-26 Dune Project Maintenance including Hurricane Milton Response
End
Fiscal Impact:
Total South Beaches Dune Maintenance Project cost including sand, dune vegetation, permit-required monitoring and permitting/oversight is expected to be $13.4 million and initially be funded by the Tourism Development Tax Beach Improvement Fund. Cost-share reimbursement from FEMA and State Grants combined is expected to be $7.4 million.
Dept/Office:
Natural Resources Management Department
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested that the Board authorize: 1) the County Manager to execute a change order of up to $10.9 million to an existing contract with Dickerson Infrastructure Inc. to repair the South Beaches engineered dune project; 2) the County to obtain and record voluntary easements for beach and dune renourishment in the South Beaches; 3) use of county owned/managed land for temporary construction access; 4) the County Manager or designee to execute Task Orders or Contracts work in excess of $200,000 for associated tasks required to complete the project and comply with permit conditions; 5) staff to seek FEMA & and additional state funding for reimbursement; and 6) necessary budget change requests.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
In 2004-2005, in response to Hurricane Jeanne, Brevard County constructed an engineered dune project along approximately 12 miles of developed shoreline in the South Beaches. This project has been maintained as required by FEMA, most recently in 2023-24 after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. In late 2024 Hurricane Milton, followed by fall winds and king tides caused significant erosion in portions of the South Beaches.
The South Beaches project has been successful at protecting both upland parks and properties, as well as sea turtle nesting habitat in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge. This work is consistent with the States designation of this area as the Brevard Barrier Island Area (BBIA) of Critical State Concern. To date approximately $33.5 million has been spent on sand and dune vegetation to preserve this shoreline of which Brevard County’s cost share after all qualified reimbursement has been about 9% due to highly successful leveraging of state and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding. To assure future FEMA eligibility, Brevard County must demonstrate that we actively maintain the project as needed. Hurricane Milton combined with more recent weather has caused sufficient erosion that sand placement is warranted to help meet the FEMA project maintenance requirement.
Timely pursuit of contracting is necessary for multiple reasons: 1) Beach Quality sand obtain from upland quarries is in limited supply and contracting will allow sand production to begin 2) Work is estimated to require 4 to 5 months to complete 3) Beach placement work should begin November 2025 to ensure completion prior to the May 1, 2026 start of marine turtle nesting season and 4) Shoreline that is not restored prior to May 2026 will remain vulnerable through the next hurricane season.
Dickerson Infrastructure Inc. remains under contract with Brevard County from a 2023 Bid #3-23-30 for the South Beaches Project maintenance event that was completed in 2023-24. Dickerson is willing to honor the January 2023 bid price of $55.81 per cubic yard. Staff believes this cost remains fair for the 2025-26 work needed, particularly given recent inflation seen in construction costs. This cost is significantly lower than the $65 per cubic yard use by FEMA to estimate project cost. Executing a change order to the existing contract will allow project preparation and sand production to begin promptly and ensure timely completion of the work.
The anticipated Change Order cost for sand placement totals approximately $10,819,550. Total cost for the project is estimated at $13.4 million including sand placement, installation of dune vegetation, beach tilling, permitting, construction oversight and three years of mandated environmental and physical monitoring. Reimbursement of up to $4.8 million is expected through the FEMA process (FEMA Subject Matter Expert Report attached). Partial reimbursement of up to an additional $2.6 million will be sought through FDEP via existing State grants previously approved by the Board. After these anticipated reimbursements the final net cost to the County will be approximately $6 million. Project funding is available in the Tourism Development Office Beach Improvement Budget, within reserves. To meet permit requirements and project schedule, the County Manager will need to execute subsequent contracts, change orders and task orders for all associated work.
Previous sand placement in the South Beaches has been completed under the authority of short term “permission letters” signed by property owners. New letters must be obtained frequently as the letters expire or properties change hands. The process of repeatedly obtaining permission letters is burdensome and creates the risk of leaving gaps in the project if a property owner cannot be located in the limited timeline before each project. To improve efficiency, and ensure all properties benefit from future projects, staff proposes to obtain and record voluntary easements authorizing the County to place sand and plant herbaceous dune vegetation seaward of existing dune vegetation as part of the South Beaches beach and dune nourishment project. The language of the Voluntary Easement will be prepared and approved by the County Attorney’s Office.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Timely receipt of Clerk’s memorandum will facilitate execution of project. Therefore, please email Mike.McGarry@brevardfl.gov <mailto:Mike.McGarry@brevardfl.gov> as soon as Clerk’s memo is complete, we will arrange hardcopy pickup.