Page 14 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - January '23

Page 14, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
Commissioner’s Update

Post-Hurricane Season our personal emergency plans ready and our hurricane
supplies stocked. You can access the Hurricane Planning
Wrap-Up Guide at Official Palm Beach County Hurricane Planning
Guide (pbcgov.org), or request a print copy by calling the
By Commissioner Maria Emergency Information Center at (561) 712-6400.
Marino If I can be of assistance to you, please contact me at
November 22 (561) 355-2201 or by email at mmarino@pbcgov.org.
Now that we are
officially finished with the Peanut Island – A Tropical
2022 hurricane season and
we can reflect on the late- Paradise With Historic
season storms that made
landfall on Florida’s shores, Significance
it is helpful to learn how
our county programs work December 14
to keep us safe and protect Palm Beach County’s Parks and Recreation Department
our properties and natural resources. has received national awards and recognition for a reason:
Fortunately, we were spared most of the damaging We provide diverse, safe and affordable recreation service,
effects of Hurricane Nicole, a Category 1 storm that welcoming parks, and enriching social and cultural
came ashore on North Hutchinson Island just south of experiences. Our sights are set on promoting wellness,
Vero Beach on Nov. 10, as areas like ours to the south did practicing environmental stewardship, contributing economic
not bear the brunt of the storm. Having witnessed in real value, and improving this community into the future.
time, Category 4 Hurricane Ian, which decimated coastal This also includes a commitment to preserving historical
communities in Southwest Florida, and which spawned sites, like those found on Peanut Island. Excavation
tornadoes in western Delray Beach, residents took the performed in 1918 to create the Lake Worth Inlet resulted in
warnings, watches and evacuation orders seriously. the formation of the island, which grew over time as a spoil
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) quickly site. The dredging, which was vital to plans to support the
moved into activation on Nov. 7 and reached Level trade of peanut oil out of the port, led to its name. Now an
1 full activation on Nov. 9, as hurricane watches and 80-acre tropical park, Peanut Island is home to a former U.S.
warnings were issued, returning to normal operations the Coast Guard Station and boathouse, and the John F. Kennedy
following Tuesday. During this activation, our incident Bunker, a Cold-War era nuclear bomb shelter built in 1961.
command team kept in contact with all 39 municipalities Situated on land owned by the Port of Palm Beach, the The Florida Inland Navigational District owns a large
and participated in daily conference calls with the State facilities have suffered from decay and neglect. In January portion of the northern half of the island that has continued
of Florida EOC, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the National 2022, the County Commission entered a 30-year lease to serve as a spoil site.
Weather Service. We kept the public informed through with the port to take over, restore, manage and maintain When you visit the island, which you can reach by
news releases, two press conferences, and numerous social the historical properties for educational tours. The county private boat, water taxi from Riviera Beach Marina or
media posts. anticipates that grant funding, impact fees and legislative perhaps by kayak from nearby Phil Foster Park on Blue
The county opened seven general population shelters, appropriations will cover the costs of the extensive work Heron Boulevard, you will be awestruck by the crystal-
one pet-friendly shelter, and a special needs shelter, required, and it has been an honor for me to participate in clear waters that surround the island. Numerous varieties
housing 517 of the general population, 21 special needs securing and preserving this site for future generations. of fish are plentiful, which makes the island a popular
persons, and 29 pets. Emergency staff monitored more destination for fishing and snorkeling. You can also walk
than 8,000 power outages, and handled 1,095 calls to along winding paver pathways, enjoy its beaches, or get
our Emergency Information Center. Public Works crews together at one of several picnic areas or pavilions. A
locked down eight bascule bridges to allow continuous 17-site campground is available for overnight campers
vehicle traffic, and removed 49 signal heads and 20 LED that you can reserve online at www.bookyoursite.com/
blank out signs. Staff conducted damage assessments campgrounds/peanutislandfl, or by calling (561) 845-4445
countywide. or toll-free at (866) 383-5730.
Beaches are the first line of defense against the Views from Peanut Island give you magnificent vistas
enormous energy from tropical systems that threaten our of the inlet, up and down the Intracoastal Waterway, and
coastal communities. County-managed beaches were quiet marina views to the west. It is truly a wonderful
well prepared and performed as designed to mitigate means to “get away from it all” for a day, not far from
significant damages associated with Hurricane Nicole. our bustling metropolis.
Extensive dune and beach restoration work completed For more information, or if there is any way I can assist
over the past few years provided protection to our parks you, please contact me at (561) 355-2201 or by email at
and infrastructure from damages seen elsewhere on mmarino@pbcgov.org.
Florida’s coast. County staff perform beach condition
assessments prior to and immediately following passage
of tropical systems as part of their emergency management
roles. Preliminary assessments suggest county beaches Susan Has Moved To A
experienced some sand loss from the dry beach, but we
are already seeing some natural recovery as some of this
material naturally migrates back to the beach by typical New Location!
wave conditions.
We were truly fortunate that we ended up outside
the direct path of Hurricane Nicole, but given the Androcles Hair Salon
unpredictability of storm systems despite the advances
in weather forecasting, this underscores the need to keep 4031 Hood Rd., Suite C-108
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