If approved, the boardwalk project will bring an approximately 10,000-square-foot elevated “education and office building” with a boardwalk to the beachfront. Plans currently have the structure being built between the dune line on the Gulf side and a proposed parking lot just south of Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center.
The project is within the boundaries of the Navarre Beach Marine Park, which was set aside for both public recreation and conservation of Navarre Beach’s natural scenery.
According to the county, the bid solicitation process began Aug. 4, and bids are due Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. A pre-bid meeting was held Aug. 13 in Milton. County Engineering staff are handling the process.
Opposition to the project has been prevalent on Facebook, with many residents sharing a Change.org petition, which called for the county to reconsider the impacts the boardwalk may have on the natural environment and stop the project.
Erika Thomas, a beach resident for the past three years, started the petition. It currently has just over 1,000 signatures and has been shared online nearly 700 times. The goal of the petition is to get 25,000 signatures.
“I started it because I felt like our commissioners were not listening,” Thomas said. “Our leaseholders over a year ago sent a certified letter to Mr. Eddington asking them to stop and it fell on deaf ears.”
Thomas said the petition shows the plan is unpopular. She wants to preserve the natural scenery of Navarre Beach, as well as its small-town vibe.
“We come to Navarre for a reason,” Thomas said. “We come here because its natural, quiet, peaceful, it’s not the bar scene, it’s a nice, relaxing place to bring your family. I started coming here in 2014 and loved it.”
According to Thomas, many people who live here are unaware the boardwalk plan is in the works. She hopes the petition can raise awareness and send a message to commissioners.
“Once you pave it over, it is gone,” Thomas said. “We are never going to get it back.”
The land where the boardwalk may be built is currently undeveloped and home to sea oats.
Cinnamon Tyler, who serves on the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Patrol, worries the boardwalk will have a negative effect on sea turtles during nesting season.
Each year, from May through October, sea turtles come to Navarre Beach to lay their eggs in the sand. These turtles prefer quieter, safe locations to lay their eggs. The marine park area is one of the least developed parts of Navarre Beach, meaning quite a few turtles will nest there.
When hatchlings emerge from the nest, they face dangers from both animals and people. People tend to be a danger as they either interrupt the turtles on their way to water or produce lights that disorient the turtles.
Hatchlings use the reflection of moonlight on the water to find their way to the ocean.
According to Tyler, light disorientation has led many hatchlings over the years to head toward the dunes instead of the Gulf. This can lead to hatchlings dying.
In addition to sea turtles, birds such as least terns and black skimmers use the marine park to nest.
Both Thomas and Tyler are part of a group called Save Our Beach (SOB), which aims to oppose the boardwalk plan through community organizing. Terry Light, the co-owner of Pik-Itz Art & Antiques, recently held a meeting with several SOB members to discuss the project and its potential impacts.
During the meeting, the group discussed their frustration with Tourist Development Council (TDC) spending and hoped the county would direct its time and effort toward increasing public safety rather than the aesthetics of the beach.
SOB, which is also a group on Facebook, plans to be at the Tuesday, Aug. 25, county commission meeting in Tiger Point. The meeting is at 8:30 a.m. at 1370 Tiger Park Lane. The boardwalk is not on the meeting agenda as of Aug. 21.
Navarre Press reached out to Ray Eddington about the boardwalk but didn’t hear back as of press time.