Erosion-Control Project on Woodring Road Approved by Plan Commission

by SC Publisher Shannen Hayes
SC photos, video by Shannen Hayes

Erosion along Woodring Road, at the end of Dixie Beach Road, has been an ongoing issue with safety concerns and Sanibel Planning Commission unanimously approved a two-phase project Tuesday which will control the problem.

Woodring Road has become impassable at times due to washouts caused by wind-driven waves, tides and storm events. That is a safety concern for the city as the road is the only land egress and ingress for residents of Woodring Point.

Erosion along Woodring Road is being addressed in a new way: living shoreline. SC photo by Shannen Hayes

Engineer Hans Wilson of Hans Wilson & Associates told commissioners protecting the road is an important aspect of the project. He presented commissioners with an informative overview of the work to be done.

Planning Commission granted a conditional use permit and development permit to stabilize the routinely eroded section of Woodring Road adjacent to the San Carlos Bay shoreline.

The project calls for 170 linear feet of existing riprap to be rebuilt and 710 linear feet of an existing vegetated shoreline to be stabilized with the installation of a “living shoreline” – an erosion control structure.

Similar erosion-control projects have been done at Bailey Park Beach and Lighthouse Beach, according to the city’s Environmental Specialist Joel Caouette. He said those projects have been performing as intended – saving the shoreline and staving off significant erosion.

Wilson said some changes have been made in the Woodring Road project based on those projects.

The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation was instrumental in securing grant funding for the addition of Biodegradable Ecosystem Elements – a nature-based solution made from potato starch and thought to last five to six years, according Dr. Eric Milbrandt with SCCF. “We hope to learn from it and set an example for Florida,” he said.

Planning Commission approved an erosion-control project for Woodring Road in 2018, but it was not implemented because bids came in significantly higher than the city anticipated and the money was not in the budget.

In other agenda items:

A variance for a proposed reconstruction of a boat dock with an elevator-style lift on Anchor Drive was unanimously approved. The lift will exceed the maximum allowed 20 percent width of the waterway by a few inches.

A development permit for an elevated pool on Dimmick Drive was approved.