As stormy weather approaches, Florida residents working to get permanent protection on coast

Florida's coastal resident feel unprotected against upcoming storms

Residents along a stretch of Florida's Atlantic Coast battered by hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022 feel particularly vulnerable as storms are predicted across the region on Thursday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - While Florida's coast could be in for more rough weather Thursday, some are still trying to build permanent walls after last year's hurricanes.

Terri Corbett has owned a beachfront rental in New Smyrna Beach for 10 years

She says last year's damage to the dunes was the worst she's seen.

"We had to resort to 39,000 pounds of concrete on the bags, so it wouldn’t roll forward and so our house wouldn’t roll in," Corbett said about the large sand and concrete bags stacked against her property.

Ahead of more rough weather, she hopes to get more sand, and use more tarp to keep it from blowing away.

TIMELINE: Severe storms, heavy rain possible Thursday in Central Florida

While she has a temporary wall, Corbett says others aren't as protected.

She's working with neighbors trying to build a new wall for nine different properties.

But she's facing a tight timeline.

"May 1, if we’re not shovels in the ground under construction and permitted, we have to wait until October 31," Corbett said.

With turtle season approaching, Corbett says she's also frustrated with state regulators.

She wants someone to let her know if her planned rock wall will be okay before she spends thousands on engineering plans and permits.

"I’m just asking them if they would come down and look at what we’re proposing and give us a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ before we spend the money, pay the engineering design and get denied," Corbett said. "We want to have a verbal ‘yes,’ before we’re all out the money."