The FEMA Emergency Berm Project

Following the 2004 hurricane season, a number of beachside structures were threatened by continuing beach erosion. In order to protect these structures from short-term flooding, FEMA approved funding to construct emergency sand berms.

FEMA provided 90% of the funding for this project, with the balance paid by the State of Florida and Brevard County. State funding for 5% of the project costs has been provided through the State of Florida’s Department of Community Affairs. The County share of 5% is financed with revenue collected from local hotels and motels as a Local Option Tourist Development Tax earmarked for beach restoration.

While the property owners who received this assistance were grateful, this project resulted in inconsistency along the dune line between where the dune was repaired (i.e., for FEMA-qualified properties) and the intervening gaps (i.e., for properties that did not qualify for the FEMA project).

The State Interim Dune Project

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) established the State Interim Dune Project to fill gaps along critically eroded dunes where FEMA funding was not authorized. The Florida DEP provided $8.27 million for this project with no local match required.

The County Commission voted to expand the fill volume covered by DEP with $1.675 million in local match from the General Fund in order to also address eroded dunes at county and city parks.

The County Commission also voted to borrow $3.4 million against future Local Option Tourist Tax collections to restore Mid Reach beach elevations to pre-hurricane conditions in the area between the toe of the State and FEMA dune restoration projects and the mean high water line.