City Enters Cost-Sharing Agreement with County

On June 17, 2024, the City of Marco Island City Council had this item under the Consent Agenda: “Authorized the City Manager to Issue a Purchase Order to Earth Tech Enterprises, Inc. for the 2024 Tigertail Lagoon/Sand Dollar Island Ecosystem Restoration Project Operational Maintenance in the Amount of $295,365.”

On June 11, 2024, a cost-sharing agreement was entered between the City of Marco Island and Collier County for the amount of $536,000 for the Tigertail Lagoon-Sand Dollar Island Ecosystem Maintenance for 2024-2025.

According to the Agreement, the City has submitted a grant application for Tourist Development Council (TDC) Tax Funds in the amount of $350,000 for the Tigertail Lagoon/Sand Dollar Island Ecosystem Maintenance Project for the FY 2024-2025 as the Board of County Commissioner finds these expenditures promote tourism.

Project Budget for FY2024-2025 is as follows:

TDC Funds requested: $350,000

City/Tax District Cost: $186,000 

Total: $536,000

The June 11th cost-sharing agreement, signed by the City of Marco and Collier County, describes the project as “designed to restore and protect a valuable ecosystem which includes recreational assets and tourist attractions. The project in its entirety is located on public beach and wetland areas designated as Critical Wildlife Area by the State of Florida and can only be accessed by land through Collier County Tigertail Beach Park at the south part of the system. The project is in the public interest providing environmental, social, and economic benefits and storm protection.”

Also in the project description: “The Tigertail Lagoon and Sand Dollar Island ecosystem is a protected natural preserve and a Critical Wildlife Area that provides valuable habitat for a variety of birds, sea turtles, manatees, and seagrasses. Tigertail Lagoon and Sand Dollar Island are also valuable Marco Island recreational resources for residents and tourists for birding, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, kitesurfing, and, on the northern half, boating. The ecosystem is accessed by the public via Collier County's Tigertail Beach Park at the southern end of the lagoon and via boat at the northern end of the lagoon.”

“Tigertail Beach is one of 510 points on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail and is considered one of the best all-around birding spots in Southwest Florida, “ according to the project description. “The County Park is one of only three public beach access points on Marco Island and receives over 200,000 visitors annually. It has a relatively large public parking area, playground, and bathrooms. A shuttle bus runs from some hotels to the park. Private, rental, and commercial tourist boats access the lagoon from its entrance.”

“The City of Marco Island and Collier County funded the initial ecosystem restoration project in 2022- 2023, which included restoration of the collapsing part of Sand Dollar Island and lagoon with approximately 500,000 cubic yards of sand sourced from shoaling areas within the system and authorized nearshore borrow areas.”

The project description also added, “The project also restored wetland areas and tidal flow to the south part of Tigertail Lagoon, improving water quality and maintaining environmental habitats and recreational benefits. The City of Marco conducts all the necessary project management, biological and physical monitoring, and maintenance required for permit compliance.”

“The proposed maintenance in this application is part of the ecosystem restoration maintenance plan to recycle sand from the authorized sand trap borrow area at the tip of Sand Dollar Island and place the sand to restore the beach berm in vulnerable areas on the western part of the constructed berm.

The limited sand recycling is planned for approximately 40,000 cubic yards at a two-year cycle to maintain the integrity of the constructed berm. This work will be completed using mechanical equipment outside of bird and sea turtle nesting seasons.

Estimated project start date: November 2024

Estimated project duration:  One to two months