Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Coastal Permitting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Franklin County tables seawall variances at Alligator Point after DEP stop‑work and public concerns
Summary
The Board tabled proposed seawall variances for three Alligator Point properties after neighbors and state regulators flagged unpermitted work and potential shoreline impacts; planning staff said any revised designs must return to the Board and DEP approvals are required before construction can resume.
The Franklin County Commission on March 18 deferred decisions on proposed seawall variances for 1369, 1371 and 1373 Chip Morrison Drive after residents and engineers raised erosion, turtle‑nesting and permitting concerns and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) issued a stop‑work order.
Engineers and applicants described extensive storm damage from Hurricane Michael and said they had pursued permits for two years to repair and protect property. Engineer Mike Wexner told the Board the applicants had worked with FDEP and the U.S. Army Corps on surveys and hydrology analyses and said the designs aim to reduce surge and scour; he said timing and turtle season motivated a decision to begin some work to protect vulnerable parcels.
Neighbors and coastal stakeholders urged caution. John Barry said he reviewed the applications and could not find an independent hydrology study; he warned a tall seawall could change wave action and accelerate erosion on adjacent beaches. Theresa Jacobs, who lives across the street, said the area already shows significant erosion and cited five or six historic turtle nests in the vicinity; she questioned whether earlier planting and staged work had been coordinated with owners and regulators.
Planning staff senior planner Bree Robinson told commissioners that county code requires a variance from the Board before Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) permitting proceeds in this location and that an approved variance remains contingent on receipt of all required state permits. Robinson said any DEP‑required design modifications would have to return to the Board for review and approval.
Commissioner Cheryl Sanders moved to table the two pending variance items and request a land‑use attorney review; Commissioner Jessica Ward seconded the motion, which passed 5‑0. The record shows commissioners sought a formal opinion from the county land‑use attorney and asked staff to report DEP’s position and any hydrology evidence before reconsidering the requests.
Next steps: the applicants must obtain required state permits and, if DEP or federal reviewers require design changes, the county will expect revised plans to come back to planning and zoning and the Board before work resumes. The stop‑work order remains in effect and material staged on site must remain secured until regulatory clearance is provided.
