Florida residents look to state for help with Nicole-damaged beachfront homes: 'It’s got to move along'
PONCE INLET, Fla. - Some Volusia County residents say they are frustrated and feel they're not getting enough help from the state.
Volusia County is issuing temporary permits to people who live along to coast, so they can put up sand or sandbags to protect their homes that have been damage from Hurricane Nicole.
But, for any more permanent solutions, like boulders, rocks, or seawalls, the Department of Environmental Protection would need to issue the permits, which some people say they're not getting a response to, or were denied.
"It’s not a long-term solution. The majority have to be removed in 60 days of installation, but it gives people time to work with DEP for more permanent resolutions," said Clay Ervin, with Volusia County Growth and Resource Management.
People say they don't have time to wait on the state to issue permits for long-term solutions and don't know exactly what those solutions would look like either.
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"I’m seeing a lot of these people are show ponies, and I’m not seeing any workhorses from the government," said Melanie Marshall, whose Ponce Inlet home was damaged.
Marshall's family is looking for answers as they work to try and save their home.
"There’s going to be this debate about the right way to protect the beach line long-term and how turtles are preserved, but the argument, of sea walls, vs rocks vs other things needs to be put in perspective," said Marshall's husband David Krivich. "This debate is nothing new for Florida, been debated for decades, but it’s got to move along."
The couple is also worried about their elderly neighbors.
"There’s a lot of confusing information out there right now," said Krivich. "There are people hiding in their homes that aren’t as young as we are and don’t understand the internet. Just sitting there like sitting ducks," added Marshall.
Volusia County says they are trying to work with the state and army corps of engineers to expedite the reconstruction of homes and buildings.
Residents who want to install temporary improvements are asked to contact Volusia County Environmental Management at (386) 238-4668 or through the website: Beach cleanup and repair information (volusia.org) The county can also process the permit applications in person at 440 S. Beach Street, Daytona Beach.
For permanent or extensive repair, residents need to contact the DEP at (850) 245-2094 or (850) 245-8570 or through their website for emergency permitting: Coastal Construction Control Line Emergency Permitting | Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
FOX 35 News reached out to DEP for a statement but did not hear back from them before the publication of this article.