Captiva's beach renourishment project will begin September 23, three days later than originally planned, as officials continue finalizing details for the multimillion-dollar restoration effort.
Watch as Captiva Community Correspondent, Anvar Ruziev, reports from the island.
The Captiva Erosion Prevention District initially expected crews to start work September 20 at Alison Hagerup Park, where a barge is already positioned offshore in preparation for the sand placement operation.
General Manager Brighton Heard said the district is still determining the exact amount of sand needed for the project, which has grown more complex following recent hurricane damage.
"We were told that we would need, if we want to do a full restoration, 1.2 million cubic yards, the contract, was only for 800,000 cubic yards," Heard said.
The sand requirements increased from the original estimate due to erosion caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. However, board members chose not to approve the additional sand volume.
"The board decided to limit the project to the original contract," said John Wade, chairman of the Captiva Erosion Prevention District.
The project can use approximately 1 million cubic yards of sand under the current plan.
To help cover expenses, Lee County commissioners approved $2.5 million in funding Tuesday. The money will come from the county's beach renourishment trust fund.
Board members say the final project cost remains uncertain until completion.
"We don't really know until it's over, the best we can give you is an estimate which is going to be somewhere between $26 million and $31 million," Wade said.
The district plans to use loans and state funds to cover a large portion of the costs. How much property owners might pay through a possible assessment will depend on final costs and grant reimbursements.
Despite the slight delay, the erosion protection district expects the project to finish before December.
"This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."
