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Beach Nourishment and Easements

Pinellas County Beaches

Beaches are very dynamic and are constantly changing. Along undeveloped shorelines, movement is often not detrimental and may go unnoticed. However, the changes in beaches along developed shorelines are often very evident and detrimental to beachfront properties.

Prior to beach nourishment in Pinellas County, many municipalities had thin, non-protective beaches or no beach at all. Over successive nourishments, the beaches from Clearwater to St. Pete Beach have been built up with more than 10 million cubic yards of sand. The preservation of the beaches is essential in maintaining the quality of life that residents value and which attracts visitors throughout the year.

  • Storm Protection — A wide stable beach is important to protect houses and infrastructure.
  • Tourism — In 2015, beach tourists spent $2.3 billion in Pinellas County alone.
  • Employment — In 2015, 47,000 jobs were supported by beach tourists.
  • Environment — Nesting for sea turtles, and foraging and nesting ground for shorebirds and seabirds
Click the image to view Pinellas County’s Beach Performance Index dashboard

What are an erosion control line and a coastal construction control line?

An Erosion Control Line (ECL) is a boundary line fixed by the state on a nourished beach dividing private (landward) and public (seaward) property. See Florida Statutes, Section 161.191. It is typically set at the mean high water line and established before the first nourishment. See Florida Statutes, Section 161.161(5). The ECL can be found on the erosion control line map.

In the state of Florida, the establishment and approval of an erosion control line is required before the initial construction of a nourishment project. In the Indian Rocks Beach and Redington Shores areas, ECLs were established in several segments before the initial beach nourishment. Because of the successive cycles of nourishment, the ECL, which does not move, is now located within the dunes in many areas.

The Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) is a line of jurisdiction, defining the landward limit of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s authority to regulate construction. The CCCL program protects the beach and dune system from upland construction that could weaken, damage or destroy the integrity of the system.

According to Florida law, beach property seaward of the erosion control line is state land. However, sand must often be placed landward of the ECL to restore the proper slope, elevation and function of the beach. The area landward of the Proposed ECL remains the property of the upland owner, irrespective of future beach erosion or accretion. Property seaward of the Proposed ECL will remain the property of the state, will be public beach, and will not impair upland owners’ riparian rights. Easements are needed in advance to ensure the entire beach requiring sand can be restored.