Pinellas County plans dune plantings at Pass-a-Grille but says permits and Army Corps issues slow larger renourishment

Pinellas County Coastal Management told the St. Pete Beach Beach Stewardship Committee it has a scope of work and survey ready to plant dunes at Pass-a-Grille but cannot start until required coastal permits are issued.

The update matters because the dune lost in recent storms remains exposed and county staff said planting is the fastest available measure to stabilize sand and protect habitat and nesting areas while larger renourishment plans continue to be negotiated.

Zach Westfall, with Pinellas County Coastal Management, told the committee the county rebuilt a dune using overwashed sand and now intends to plant native species to stabilize it. “We do not have a permit to do the planting,” Westfall said. He described two permitting paths the county has considered: a CCCL permit or renewal of the county’s joint coastal permit used for beach placement.

Westfall said the county has…