SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — After several years of agitation about restoring Midnight Pass, some Sarasota neighbors are welcoming some progress.
Governor DeSantis recently approved $500,000 for a feasibility study to look into options for restoring the pass and the environmental impacts.
According to some neighbors, the smell of the water and the excess presence of marine debris on the banks of the bay are just some of the issues they are dealing with.
They say restoring the pass will allow the free flow of water between Little Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and help improve water quality.
"Midnight Pass was there for a reason. Mother Nature put it there. Seven miles to the north is Big Pass and seven miles to the South is the Venice Pier," said homeowner Michael Evanoff
Evanoff is also part of the organization Midnight Pass Society and owns several waterfront businesses in the area including The Pointe on Bay View Dr.
Around four decades ago, through a court process, two homeowners forced what they thought would be a temporary closure of the pass when their homes were being threatened.
Those neighbors and others after them tried without success to initiate the restoration of the pass but to no avail. They say without the natural tidal flow the water just sits without much movement.
"People are not swimming in it and people don't want to put their feet in or look for shells on the shores or sharks teeth on the beach because of the water quality and how bad it is," said Evanoff.
Local environmentalists said contrary to perception, Little Sarasota Bay is in fact a healthy system with plenty of fish and various wildlife. However, they do admit that it's not that way all the time and some species would thrive better if the pass was restored to allow the tidal access to feed into the area's estuaries.
"There are reasons why it makes sense to reestablish the tidal connection, but there are approaches that would cause physical damage, that number one would be probably impossible permit and number two might cause more harm than benefit," said Dave Tomasko, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program.
Tomasko said it is for this reason that a project aimed at preservation and restoration should come with the best possible options that have little to no adverse environmental impact.
"Something that moves water but doesn't increase boating activity is at least a scenario that we think should be looking at," said Tomasko.
"We are a coastal community. We are a tourism community. The water is for lack of a better word part of our lifeblood here in Sarasota County," said Joe Neunder, Sarasota County Commissioner.
Local elected leaders said the injection of $500,000 by the state government to go towards the feasibility study is a boost to a process they've already kicked off and are ahead on some of the discovery aspects with prior attempts. Neuder said for this iteration of the potential for achieving the goal, the required permitting process for the project will be driven by science and based on conclusions and recommendations itemized in the feasibility study.
"We will measure twice and cut once. It will fully be vetted with our community, and all the stakeholders involved in this particular process and we're excited, said Neunder.
Sarasota County Commissioners have directed county staff to prepare a public presentation to update on the feasibility study around late August or early September.
A consultant is expected to also provide their conclusion about the potential pathways forward for the Midnight Pass restoration.