DOCK STREET FUTURE PONDERED2023 November 30
Editor’S Note, December 6, 2023:
Since this article was published on November 30, Cedar Key News staff has learned that the grant, ininitally requesting $500,00, ultimately was awarded for $250,000.
Since this article was published on November 30, Cedar Key News staff has learned that the grant, ininitally requesting $500,00, ultimately was awarded for $250,000.
On Wednesday, November 28, Levy County staff presented the culmination of more than a year-’long effort to study how to save Dock Street from ongoing and future climactic events. The effort, initiated by County Commissioner Chair Matt Brooks, stems from an Appropriations Project Request to the Florida House of Representatives in Fiscal Year 2021-22. Then, $500,000 was granted to Levy County for its project entitled, “Levy County Shoreline Resiliency - Preserving Historic Cedar Key.”
On March 3, 2022, at its “Kickoff Meeting” at the Nature Coast Biological Station Third Floor Classroom, presenters attempted to “to engage primary stakeholders in reflecting and exploring the meeting objectives,” according to the meeting agenda. Not long into the meeting, it became obvious that the meeting’s goal had already been achieved in multiple venues and at multiple meetings: city officials, other primary stakeholders, and residents had already “reflected upon and explored” the City of Cedar Key’s resiliency capacities.
Wednesday’s meeting’s purpose , according to the agenda, was “to update stakeholders on project progress and present and discuss proposed design project.” Project Manager and Engineer, currently employed by DRMP, Inc., Ryan Mitchell overviewed the proposal to come. He made clear that now the focus was on Dock Street alone, not the island of Cedar Key.
Retitleing the project to “Cedar Key Shore Protection Wave Modeling and Design,” Mitchell overviewed the data thus far amassed in the study including: topographic and bathymetric surveys, a shoreline assessment, wind data, water collection data, and wave modeling.
Ultimately, he proposed:
• placing two to ten feet high triangular concrete structures in the water along the Dock Street business periphery to limit wave action;
• filling some of these areas along the south side of Dock Street with approximately 41,000 cubic yards of sand; and
• building “beaches,” and vegetated living shorelines in some of the most shallow places.
• placing two to ten feet high triangular concrete structures in the water along the Dock Street business periphery to limit wave action;
• filling some of these areas along the south side of Dock Street with approximately 41,000 cubic yards of sand; and
• building “beaches,” and vegetated living shorelines in some of the most shallow places.
University of South Florida Professor Dr. Ping Wang provided more detail and statistical analyses for the audience. He accentuated the known fact that the Gulf waters around the Cedar Keys ae shallow and thus protected from extensive wave action.
In charge of Community Resilience, Josh Norman, currently employed by the Trilon Group, spoke briefly to potential funding sources. When asked how much the project would cost, the team responded one million to one and a half million dollars. That response was a soundly rejected by the audience. Norman averred that much funding was available from both state and federal sources now.
Questions from Colson, Barry, and Allen, to the presenters included very prominent Cedar Key business owners’ and residents ‘concerns:
• Will the sand backfill meander eastward to fill places where it is not desired?
• How will the altered wave action specifically impact the boat ramp?
• How much “beach” and how much establishment and maintenance will be required?
• Will the sand backfill meander eastward to fill places where it is not desired?
• How will the altered wave action specifically impact the boat ramp?
• How much “beach” and how much establishment and maintenance will be required?
The meetings’ end revealed satisfied constituents. Colson thought the occurrence a “good start” and warned that momentum was important. Levy County will orchestrate a follow up meeting on December 12, Tuesday, at 2pm.
Representing Levy County were:
- Matt Brooks, County Commissioner
- Wilbur Dean, County Coordinator
- Ali Tretheway, Procurement Coodinator
- Alice Lalonde , Administrative Coordinator, Roads
Representing the City of Cedar Key was:
• Sue Colson, Commissioner
Representing the Nature Coast Biological Station were:
• Mike Allen, Director
• Savanna Barry, University of Florida Sea Grant Agent
• Sue Colson, Commissioner
Representing the Nature Coast Biological Station were:
• Mike Allen, Director
• Savanna Barry, University of Florida Sea Grant Agent
No other person, except the news media, were in attendance.
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