TAMPA, Fla. — Even before the impacts of the recent hurricanes, emergency efforts to restore the beaches were ongoing.

Now Pinellas County Commissioners are making efforts to get the process done quicker.

What You Need To Know

  • Pinellas County Commissioners to speak in a meeting with local leaders about the plans to restore beaches post hurricanes

  • Commissioner Brian Scott, says there have been barriers to get the process going, and sand needs to be restored quickly

  • A meeting on those plans is taking place on Indian Rocks Beach Friday

Work that was happening this summer in Pass-A-Grille included sand from the inlet being pumped onto the beach and a dike was built to prevent sand from washing away.

The county was spending nearly $6 billion on the emergency project. But now after hurricanes Idalia, Helene and Milton, and because property owners didn't want to give unlimited access to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to renourish the beach, the sand levels are really low.

They need to come up with a longer-term solution, said Commissioner Brian Scott.

“Our beaches have actually been about 6 feet lower than they should be, it’s very very important that we get this sand back on the beach as quickly as possible in advance of the next storm season.”

Scott says so far they’re currently in the permitting process but he says it could take a year to officially begin the process to restore all sand.

Commissioners say this reoccurring process takes years to complete, and its done in sections.