Enforcing the protection of beach berms on Fort Myers Beach

Time, effort and millions of dollars are slowly being eroded on Fort Myers Beach.

Beach berms are a new thing for Fort Myers Beach. Their purpose is to protect properties and businesses from storm surges.

Following Hurricane Ian’s destruction, the $1.89 million project was funded entirely by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

But one problem many people are seeing with the new and costly berms is that they are getting lowered every time tractors and vehicles are on the beach, especially when jet skis are being pulled on them.

WINK News Reporter Asha Patel spoke with Chadd Chustz, Environmental Projects Manager for the Town of Fort Myers Beach on the topic and whether citations will be given out to those who lower the berm levels.

He said as of right now no citations have been given out. Instead, they go to the vendors or people doing this on the beach and talk to them and give them some type of warning before handing them a fine.

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RELATED: Berm project starting on north end of Fort Myers Beach

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The town said the berms are designed to withstand a five-year storm, and it is considering ways to mitigate the problem of them getting dug through, eroded or torn down.

Businesses we spoke to are not so confident about the berms.

“Some out-of-the-box ideas we could do; some beach vendors have been using plywood to traverse the berm,” said Chustz. “Over by Diamond Head, they plan on restoring where it got eroded away. We talked to a beach vendor maybe using beach mats as they traverse that area.”

Asha Patel also asked the town of Fort Myers Beach since these berms are only designed to stop a five-year storm, what’s the long-term goal here?

Chustz said a few renourishment projects are starting this week. They are designed to stop a 25-year storm. The current berms are just an emergency measure.

Unless you have a permit by FDEP you cannot grade the berm.