Table 4. Beach erosion (in miles) in Southwest Florida (Florida Department of 

 Environmental Regulation 1980). 



Total 



177.8 



45.5 (26%) 



46.4 (27%) 



Critical erosion applies to urban-related developed shoreline areas where 

 buildings and public facilities may be threatened. It does not relate to the 

 rate of erosion. 



Non-erodable beaches, 91.9 miles, 47% of the total. 



When residential and commercial developments are imposed on a barrier 

 island, the environment tends to destabilize. Manmade structures, especially 

 engineering attempts to stabilize beaches, often disrupt the natural process 

 with disastrous results. The action usually results in a new stress that 

 upsets the balance of natural processes. When beach erosion develops, artifi- 

 cial attempts sometimes are made by adding sand to the depleted beaches. The 

 cost of beach renourishment, which is by no means a permanent solution, is 

 near $3 million/mi in Florida (Greene 1981). Despite the erosion and insta- 

 bility of barrier island beaches, residential, commercial, and recreational 

 development is continuing at a fast pace there. 



Sanibel Island 



Sanibel Island, located near the mouth of the Cal oosaha tehee River off 

 the coast of Lee County, generally is representative of the conflicts that 

 surround the barrier islands in Southwest Florida. In Sanibel Island, resi- 

 dents have attempted to preserve the natural beauty and resources that are 

 necessary for the island's continued prosperity. 



The causeway built in 1963 linked the island to the mainland and stimu- 

 lated a steady increase in the population. In 1963, the population of the 

 island was less than 1,000, but by 1980 it increased to 3,868 (U.S. Department 

 of Commerce 1981). To protect their island from indiscriminant developments 

 such as were seen on Marco Island, Miami Beach, and St. Petersburg beaches, 

 county residents began a drive for home rule in 1974. 



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