North Shore beach entrance fix-ups proposed

Longboat Key residents advocating for a more attractive gateway to the town's popular beach on the north end of the island could soon see their wish granted.

Longboat Key’s Public Works staff is planning to replace chain-link fencing at the end of 100 North Shore Road when the current north-end beach renourishment projects are finished, according to an email from Town Manager Tom Harmer.

“The other area where the fencing exists along the north side to the (360 North) condo properties will be evaluated after the overall townwide beach nourishment project is complete,” Harmer wrote.

Rock groin construction on the north end of Longboat Key is underway and set to continue into late August as a means of protecting the beach from persistent erosion. Potential improvements to the North Shore entrance would come afterward.

The push comes after the Longboat Key North community group ran a beach volunteer pilot program from February through April.

“The chain link fence I guess went up the last time they did a beach nourishment, and then it just never came down,” volunteer group organizer Cyndi Seamon said. “It does help keep the dunes and the sand off the road, which apparently they clean off every week.”

District 5 commissioner Maureen Merrigan, who is also a beach volunteer, has advocated for improvements to the North Shore entrance.

“We’ve got beach volunteers that are communicating that we care about the beaches and we have a beach entrance that’s communicating the opposite,” Merrigan said of the existing sight.

Seamon said an improved North Shore entrance is an important first impression for beachgoers.

“This is a really important place and we want to keep it beautiful, so in order to do that there’s something that needs to get done,” Seamon said.

Seamon said the volunteer group walked 215 hours, patrolling the shoreline dressed in high-visibility vests. The volunteers answered questions about the beach and helped pick up trash.

“If we don’t care what [the beach] looks like then [beachgoers] don’t care about how they leave it,” Seamon said.

While the volunteer group is independent of the town, Merrigan said having an extra set of eyes and ears on the north end helped from a safety standpoint. Town police regularly patrol the area, often on foot. 

“The beaches were cleaner was as a result, and we were able to give some leads to police that allowed them to go out and address issues that they might not have been aware of,” Merrigan said.

Volunteers also helped answer questions beachgoers might have such as where they’re allowed to bring their dogs in the nearby area and where the nearest public restroom is located.

Nearby areas such as Marco Island and Siesta Key feature similar volunteer programs to promote responsible beach behavior. Siesta Key's group regularly sponsors cleanup events, particularly after high-traffic holiday weekends. 

Seamon said the group plans to meet again with Longboat Key leaders in the coming weeks to further refine the beach entrance proposal. Before the volunteer program launched, the group met with Harmer, Public Works Director Isaac Brownman, then-Police Chief Kelli Smith and Support Services Director Carolyn Brown. The group also coordinated with the non-profit organization Keep Manatee Beautiful.

After meeting with town leaders, the group will determine how and when to operate its next beach volunteer program.

“It might be that it’s something that really does need to be all year long,” Seamon said.