PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Pinellas County said it has finished work on a sand dune that a business owner said was too large and harming her business by blocking the view.
The county said the new dunes replace critical sand lost during Hurricane Idalia. But many neighbors regret signing the paper that allowed them to put it in front of their view.
When Pinellas County leaders said they wanted to help local businesses after Idalia, Katrena Hale was all for it. So Hale signed a temporary construction easement to allow the county to replenish local dunes, including her own.
But now she’s worried that decision could bury her business. Hale said the new dune makes it tough to see the Gulf or even get to the water.
“If neither neighbor has it, then why do I have it? It’s not going to do any good and they said we just don’t make any exceptions,” Hale said.
Just a few blocks down the street from Hale’s hotel, Larry Weisbaum is upset for the same reason.
He said he’s lived on the beach for 25 years.
“They didn’t say we weren’t going to have beach access or views,” Weisbaum said.
Weisbaum said his small community here likes to have their morning coffee or enjoy a sunset together on the sand.
“We have no beach view, sunset is like looking at if you live in a city somewhere like looking over a horizon,” he said.
Hale and Weisbaum said they feel helpless.
The county said its work was finished this morning. Hale said it looks better than before, but she’s not satisfied.
