Town Council asks staff to scope wave‑mitigation pilot after engineers outline hybrid dunes-and-wall approach

Fort Myers Beach — A consulting team told the Town Council on Monday that a hybrid approach combining dune restoration and buried revetment or a low retaining wall could reduce wave heights that damage upland property during major storm surge and wind‑driven waves.

The recommendations came during a 50‑minute presentation by Elizabeth Fountain, senior vice president of JR Evans Engineering, and Austin Wise, a coastal engineer with the firm. The consultants gave examples from Florida projects and said properly designed structural elements can lower flood insurance rates and reduce structural damage while preserving public access and aesthetics.

“The intention is to reduce that structural damage that you see to your local businesses, to your private homes,” Elizabeth Fountain said. She described designs that are buried and capped so the wall does not become an intrusive visual element and that work in tandem with dune planting. Austin Wise added: “By putting a barrier along the beach, in front of anything that you want to protect, you mitigate that wave action.”

Why it matters: Councilors said the island continues to suffer repeated storm damage after Hurricane Ian, and senior staff and the consultant emphasized that a well‑designed mitigation feature could both shorten recovery time and, in some locations, lower FEMA flood‑map designations and insurance premiums.

What the council directed: Council members asked staff to draft a scope of services for a due‑diligence study and a pilot project. Council consented to have JR Evans (the firm that presented) work with the town under the existing continuing‑services contract to prepare concept sections, cost estimates and funding options. Town Manager Frankie said staff would return with a proposed study scope and funding avenues. Multiple council members signaled agreement; the group did not take a recorded roll‑call vote but directed staff by consensus to proceed.

Key details and uncertainties: The engineers gave a wide range of indicative costs — from several hundred to roughly $1,000 per linear foot for full wall and associated beach and planting work — and said a typical recent local condominium cap project cost about $500 per linear foot. They also said permitting may require coordination with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for projects near the coastal construction control line and that FEMA’s CLOMR/LOMR process could take 6–12 months for a conditional map revision and final map change after construction. Fountain said some projects have translated into 30–50% reductions in flood premiums for affected properties but emphasized results are site‑specific.

Council reaction and next steps: Council members asked for draft language and a list of possible pilot locations; several suggested Newton Park and the Times Square waterfront as potential initial studies. The consultant recommended evaluating multiple cross‑sections of the shoreline because conditions differ along the island. Staff will prepare a scope and options for council consideration on a future agenda, and the consultant will develop typical cross‑section graphics, a permitting/pathway summary and preliminary cost estimates if the council approves the study scope.

Ending note: Council members praised the firm’s presentation and agreed by consensus to let staff and the consultant draft a study plan, including possible pilot areas and funding paths, and return with that plan for formal authorization.