Pinellas County’s $126 million beach renourishment project is finally underway, with crews starting work this week in Indian Shores to restore sand lost during the devastating 2024 hurricane season.

The effort will rebuild nine miles of shoreline and reinforce dunes, but a major obstacle remains: more than 120 property owners still refuse to sign temporary construction easements. Pinellas County officials say the largest holdouts are in Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, and Redington Shores.

Public Works Director Kelli Hammer Levy told the Tourist Development Council last week that the easements are narrowly defined. “It’s essentially to construct a beach and an optional dune if the property owner wants the dune,” she said. “There’s no public access and no property rights being given up.”

Still, resistance persists. Reasons range from ongoing legal disputes and absentee rental owners ignoring certified mail, to outright opposition. Some owners blame dunes for worsening flooding after Hurricane Helene, while others wrongly believe the agreements open their property to the public.

Without easements, crews can only work up to the erosion control line, creating what Levy described as “weak points” along the shore. “Anywhere there’s a break in the chain, that area is weaker,” she warned.

The gaps have also proven costly. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pulled its $103 million cost-share due to the missing signatures, leaving Pinellas to cover the bill with state grants and tourism taxes.

Work in Indian Shores is expected to continue through September before shifting to Redington and Treasure Island. The entire project must be completed by March under a six-month emergency permit.

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(Image credit: Spectrum News/Josh Rojas)

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