Council approves design task order for ADA dune walkover No. 3 after permitting delays

The Mexico Beach City Council voted to approve a task order with Anchor CEI for the design and permitting of dune ADA walkover No. 3 near the pier. Elizabeth Moore of Anchor CEI told the council that the design work is complete and that the higher cost compared with previous walkovers stems from a more involved permitting review process: "This one is a little bit more than the last two largely because we discovered that the permitting process is a little bit more than we originally bargained for." The motion to approve the task order was made, seconded and passed by roll call.

Council members pressed Anchor CEI on potential downstream costs. Moore said construction administration and inspection work could add costs only if the city requests CEI provide daily on-site inspection; she estimated a maximum of about $6,000 for intensive CEI inspection. The firm also explained that DEP and FWC review cycles — not new standards — appear to have driven the additional permitting time. Council asked staff to follow up with the consultant after final permit responses and to coordinate with DEP/FWC on timing before construction starts.