ENGLEWOOD, Fla,. - Charlotte County Commissioners declaring a state of emergency after Tropical Storm Colin swept through, seriously eroding the coastline along Manasota Key in Englewood.
Some homeowners there have lost 20 feet of beach and at least one home has been declared condemned.
"We didn't anticipate the wave action that Colin would create and those waves 8 to 10 feet took about 20 feet of sand and they took it from one of our vulnerable areas," said Wayne Sallade, Director of Emergency Management in Charlotte County.
The move comes five days after Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for 34 counties, not including Charlotte County for impacts from Colin.
Officials hope the local move will expedite the process for residents affected to recieve permits needed to make necessary repairs.
"We're one tropical storm away from pretty catastrophic damage to the building so it's great that they're acting quickly and we can get some things in there to secure the beach underneath the building and not realize more damage," said Jim Armington, a 30 year resident of Manasota Key.
Armington says he's seen thousands of cubit yards beach eroding for years and now "from where cars park under our building down to the beach is about a 4 or 5 foot drop."
Experts say Manasota Key Beach has seen issues with tidal flooding before and the area is especially vulnerable.
"Colin was nearly 300 miles out in the Gulf but it goes to show what we face living on the Florida west coast. From a storm that was so weak, so far away. These events can be much much worse and one of these days, they will," Sallade said.
