Staff provided the two page letter (above) and the complete 40 page approval package from The United States Fish and Wildlife Service for Escambia County's Habitat Conservation plan at Beach Access #4. The salient two-pages of approval are above, and/or you can read the entire package here for lots of additional historical information on this project.
The important thing to note is that the USFWS concurs with Escambia in that this development of this parcel is consistent with the original grant application as well as the modification from 2013 for the addition of the public access component. This is vital as it dispells lots of rumors, innuendo, and misinformation from those in opposition to this project for selfish and emotional--not logical or rational--reasons.
Next step is we will fund the cost delta needed to finish the construction and #OpenOurBeach, bring in two contractors, and finish this long-overdue project that will protect habitat for endangered species while simultaneously providing desperately needed free public beach access and parking on Perdido Key.
6 comments:
I am extremely happy with the final approvals on this project. It is way overdue and truly within grasp. Please bring the motion before the board to allocate the money for completion of the effort the public has fought for and the board has already agreed with. Thanks Commisioner.
Thanks Michael, that is my intention--to bring the motion and push until this project is completed. 8 years--------waaaaaaaayyyyy too long to wait.
Michael McCormack, thank YOU for obtaining the public records busting Doug for his breech of public trust on trying to sell off publicly owned beach to private condo interests. If you hadn't done that, we might still be fighting to get it open. Deus ex machina, my friend.
As the letter from Ms. Yanchis makes perfectly clear, there was never anything controversial about opening this beach access, unless you were a county commissioner trying to deliver on campaign promises to keep the public off that beach and use the habitat conservation for contractor PAC pay-back.
Seems like more and more people are recognizing what he has really been about. And many are howling now about the access crisis he has intentionally engineered down there.
Makes me sad. Because if his supporters had realized sooner that those of us trying to get it open really weren't politicking, and that it wasn't campaign fodder--if they had just believe us on what Doug has been trying to accomplish for the condo associations and developers down there, and that we were really just trying to get beach open--we could have, together, fought off the worst of it.
But that's what happens when a first-rate medicine man gets people drinking the koolaid. I'll had it to him--at one point, he could sell a popsicle to a woman wearing white gloves on the Fourth of July. Hopefully now people's eyes are opened, and we can ban together to keep him from doing his worst as a lame duck.
And Commissioner Bergosh--it's really unfair how you have been painted as ratcheting things up needlessly. Good grief, look what this took. This was a completely simple thing that he blew up into epic proportions, and if you weren't willing to lead the charge so hard, it never would have happened.
There are three really instrumental people as far as I'm concerned that, without their participation, this never would have happened: you, Randy Cudd, and Michael McCormack. I'll just take the consolation prize "Most Seriously Over My Dead Body Will He Keep This Beach Shut."
--Melissa Pino
--Melissa Pino
Isn't the Gulf of Mexico Beach Access Project submitted to the Department of the Treasury back when you each selected two projects from each district supposed to fund this?
Multi Year Implementation Plan was voted and approved by the BOCC.
Also note the emergency berms on Perdido post IVAN paid for by FEMA required additional nourishment and yet BOCC voted to do the Inlet Management Plan and put the sand off shore from the borrow pit, instead of the original intent to place it directly on the eroded beach.
You should take the No Trespassing signs down.
The Gulf of Mexico ACCESS project is on MyEscambia under the RESTORE PROJECTS. It doesn't say anything about being a portal to funnel more money to buy more Beach Front Property. I would think a Board approved project sent to the United States Treasury Department should be adhered to. Would you not agree?
Commissioner Bergosh,
On May 7, 2019 you were quoted in the PNJ as saying:
“The voters told us they want to keep the public areas of the beach public,"
So why did your Island Authority appointee vote in favor of leasing previously unleased land at Casino Beach to Innisfree hotels for $8500 and then approve a request to re-zone that property to allow for a new condominium project?
In fact, you and your colleagues on the BCC also unanimously approved that re-zoning request by Innisfree.
That’s puzzling. And didn’t your actions violate the intent of the 2018 beach referendum?
The referendum, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters, read: "On June 21, 2018, The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners Adopted a policy to prohibit any privatization through sale or lease of currently unleased properties, especially conservation and preservation properties on Santa Rosa Island. Escambia County reaffirms the Congressional restrictions of the 1947 deed. Do you support these Escambia County policies?”
In addition, your SRIA appointee recently approved Innisfree Hotels to increase the density of the former Best Western on Pensacola Beach from 30 units per acre to 50 units per acre.
And now it appears that the SRIA likely will wave a convenience fee of $320,000.
I have defended you from unfair attacks, but I certainly will air my legitimate criticism.
You frequently contradict yourself in your statements and your actions.
PNJ 20 June 2018
“Bergosh said he also supports a resolution by Commissioner Grover Robinson to place all unleased beach properties and beach lands zoned as conservation and recreation off-limits to developers. Robinson's resolution would require a unanimous vote of future boards to change the zoning and allow development of protected land.”
Your actions, and the actions of your appointee on the Island Authority, contradict your past policy statements.
So far this year, you and your appointee have:
1. Sold previously unleased property on Casino Beach and approved re-zoning to allow for a new condominium complex.
2. Provided conceptual approval for the construction of two additional Portofino towers.
3. Approved Innisfree to increase the capacity of the Pensacola Beach Best Western by 67%, and waved the $320,000 impact fee.
And your political ally, Democrat Dianne Krumel, has expressed her overwhelming support.
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