Barbara Jenness, ABR, AHWD, e-PRO, GRI, PMN, TRC

The Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is planning to dredge the St. Augustine Inlet and the Intracoastal Waterway. There will be a public meeting on November 17, 2009 starting at 3 p.m. at the St. Augustine Beach City Hall, 2100 A1A S., St. Augustine Beach, FL at the St. Augustine Port, Waterway & Beach District meeting.

Articles have been written in local publications about the dredging of the inlet to renourish St. Augustine Beach at the possible detriment to the properties north of the St. Augustine inlet in Vilano Beach, North Beach, and South Ponte Vedra Beach.

Linda Chambless, with the South Ponte Vedra - Vilano Beach Restoration Association Inc., wrote an article that appeared in the North Shores News last month with great details about the dredging and its impacts. She is an oceanfront property owner in South Ponte Vedra.

The property owners north of the inlet do not have an issue with St. Augustine Beach being renourished, but do with the source of the sand for that renourishment.

Letters have been written requesting research to be done before dredging from the St. Augustine inlet commences. E-mails have been sent to county commissioners and others. Possibly the best e-mail was sent by Bob Moore, a North Beach property owner and member of the South Ponte Vedra - Vilano Beach Restoration Association Inc. His e-mail will be included in the next issue of North Shores News.

The latest news is the plan is not just to dredge the St. Augustine inlet, but also the Intracoastal. As a property owner on the Intracoastal, I was surprised that I was not noticed on this event. I have requested detailed info from the Corps and hope to receive it shortly. The Intracoastal in Porpoise Point is extremely deep, which begs the "why dredge" question. Hopefully, I will be receiving researched answers from the Corps shortly. The Corps is not only affecting beachfront properties in Vilano, North Beach, and S. Ponte Vedra, but Porpoise Point and others along the Intracoastal in those same neighborhoods. I don't believe the Intracoastal property owners in any of the neighborhoods north of the St. Augustine inlet got noticed. Let me know if you know otherwise.

The Florida State legislature passed HB 1427 in 2008, known as the beach management bill. The summary analysis on this bill states: "The bill provides legislative intent to direct and commit the state's beach management efforts to address beach erosion caused by Florida's inlets, and declares that it is in the public interest to replicate the natural flow of sand at inlets." The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary, Michael W. Sole, spoke to the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association's (ASBPA) National Coastal Conference on October 14, 2009 about HB 1427.

As president of A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway ("Friends of A1A"), a national scenic byway, we are concerned about losing this highway to the ocean if dredging occurs in the St. Augustine Inlet. Commission Mica was contacted when water came within feet of washing out the road a couple of months ago and is keeping a watchful eye on anything that can endanger the evacuation route for residents.

South Ponte Vedra - Vilano Beach Restoration Association Inc. has been very involved in trying to understand the impact of dredging the St. Augustine inlet. Here is a report from an engineer and their letter to the Florida DEP (FDEP). Additionally they have requested further study to be done by the FDEP.

If interested, please attend the public meeting:

MEETING DATE: Tuesday, Nov 17, 2009
TIME: 3:00 P.M.
LOCATION: St. Augustine Beach City Commission
Meeting Room, 2200 A1A South,
St. Augustine Beach, FL

Please send any comments or concerns to: Robert Riddell telephone 904-232-2451 or email Robert.c.riddell@usace.army.mil.

Government salaries for northeast Florida government workers are posted via our local Jacksonville newspaper, The Florida Times-Union on their website.

I found this interesting link while reading an article on-line and just below the article it has a section called: "Worth Clicking". So I clicked.

I always thought the public was entitled to know government salaries, but was still a little surprised by the information provided. I believe The Florida Times-Union created this database using available public information. I am happy to see a newspaper taking full advantage of technology, the Internet and databases to provide this service to its readers. I have been reading about The Florida Times-Union doing new things, but this is proof positive.

Does your local paper provide this service? Do you have a quick way to view the salaries in your municipalities? Do you think this information should be publicly available or is it an invasion of privacy?

On Friday, September 18 my husband and I attended Artbreakers Scenic Cruise for a Cause. Pier Fitts and Gaye Jones, both cancer survivors founded Artbreakers to assist cancer patients in St. Augustine, FL. Artbreakers is a great local charity and this event was so much fun.

The cruise was on the Victory III, owned by the Usina Family and is Scenic Cruise of St. Augustine. It was a perfect night for a cruise and was sold out (60 people). The live entertainment provided by JR Roberts was wonderful.

Local artists donated works of art to be auctioned. The ride ended much too soon and all of the artwork didn't get auctioned, so I can't wait for the next event.

Next month, the Women's Council of REALTORS (WCR) in St. Augustine will have a fundraiser that will benefit WCR and Artbreakers called Bratini. I hope you can make it. It will be fun as it will featured decorated bras as artwork, to be auctioned as well as men modeling the bras and $5 Martinis all at beautiful Serenata Beach Club.

There is so much happening in Vilano Beach now that September has arrived and summer is almost gone. I have been meaning to keep you up-to-date, but have been falling behind.

Tonight, Monday, September 14th is the first ever Pot Luck Dinner at North Shores Improvement Association's (NSIA) meeting tonight. Instead of the monthly forum, it has changed to a pot luck dinner. Not much notice was given, so I hope you can make it. Bring hors d'oeuvers or a dish to share while getting to know your neighbors.

Directions: Vilano Beach is the closest Beach to downtown St. Augustine, FL. Take the Vilano Bridge (Usina Bridge) to Vilano. Take a left on A1A. Go less than 1 mile to just past Surfside Park to a left on Meadow. Go a little over a block to 120 Meadow Avenue.

Date: Monday, September 14, 2009

Time: 7 p.m.

Where: North Shores Community Center at 120 Meadow Avenue (1 block off of Coastal Highway)

Who: Everyone in the area!

Bring: Dish to share with your neighbors

There will also be a tour of the old Fire Station. There will be a new Sheriff Stop Station located here.

See you tonight.

Barbara Jenness is President of Friends of A1A, vice-president of the local community association North Shores Improvement Association (NSIA), Board member of Vilano Beach Main Street since 1998 and has assisted with the redevelopment of Vilano Beach since 1998. She is a member of the Porpoise Point Homeowner's Association, Serenata Beach Club, and the South Ponte Vedra Civic Association. She was selected as Businesswoman of the Year last year by the Women's Council of REALTORS in St. Augustine because of her community involvement. Additionally she was selected as the 2008 REALTOR of the Year for St. Augustine. Realty/Builder Connection awarded her the SPIRIT award for Passion (selected from all builders & REALTORS in northeast Florida).

Events in St. Augustine, Florida this weekend, August 28-30, 2009.

Another beautiful weekend is on tap for St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra, Florida.

Weather.com weekend forecast shows scattered thunderstorms which are typical for this time of year during the afternoon with temperatures from the low 70s to the mid-80s.

On Friday, August 28th, O.A.R. is in concert at the St. Augustine Amphitheater.

OR...

Attend the Grand Opening of the Heather Blanton exhibit at The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra on Friday. Ruth's Chris will be catering the wine & appetizer opening reception starting at 6:30 p.m. Blanton uses photographic images to show the ever-changing face of the Florida landscape.

Friday and Saturday, Black Raven Adventure Cruise for adults only is a sing-a-long pirate cruise. Cruise departs at 8:15 p.m. and returns at 10 p.m.

On Saturday, August 29th it's Uptown Saturday Night, a favorite end-of the-month event from 5 - 9 p.m. in the San Marco Shopping Distric. Appetizers are provided by the Saint Augustine Independent Restaurant Association (SAiRA). Free parking at the Mission of Nombre de Dios.

More details on all of the above events can be found here.