Palm Beach will consider additional measures to protect sea turtles during nesting season

Jodie Wagner, Palm Beach Daily News
·2 min read

The Palm Beach Town Council could approve additional measures to protect sea turtle nests on town beaches at its meeting Tuesday.

In response to concerns raised by residents about mechanical equipment disturbing  nesting sea turtles, eggs and hatchlings during nesting season, town staff will ask council members to consider new protective measures.

"While environmentally protective measures have been put in place by the state for permitted use of mechanical equipment, there are actions that the town can take to be more protective," Public Works Director Paul Brazil wrote in a July 28 memo to council members and Mayor Danielle Moore.

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A sea turtle nest is marked at Midtown Beach Thursday in Palm Beach. MEGHAN McCARTHY/Palm Beach Daily News
A sea turtle nest is marked at Midtown Beach Thursday in Palm Beach. MEGHAN McCARTHY/Palm Beach Daily News

Those actions could include:

• Mechanical beach cleaning to occur once a week when conditions are most favorable and not specifically held on the same day each week.

• A daily marine turtle nest survey, protection and monitoring program to be completed prior to any mechanical beach cleaning. The protection measures include checking for hatchlings on the beach or in the seaweed.

• New protective measures to be included in an upcoming beach cleaning solicitation.

• The town's Police Department will continue to authorize only state-permitted and regulated mechanical equipment on the beach during sea turtle nesting season, pursuant to town code.

In his memo, Brazil noted that mechanical equipment on the town's beaches performs a variety of important functions year-round, including sea turtle nesting monitoring, police department beach patrol and beach cleaning.

Sea turtle nesting season runs from March 1 to Oct. 31.

Also Tuesday, the council will:

• Consider a request to approve site plans for the Midtown Seawall Replacement Project and modifications to the east parking lot of the Par 3 facilities.

• Listen to presentations concerning the town-wide undergrounding project and Florida Department of Transportation projects within the town.

• Vote on proposed ordinances that would ban cigarette smoking at public beaches and parks within the town, and close Bradley Park, Lake Drive Park and the Lake Trail to most Palm Beach residents and visitors between 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

• Hear presentations from eligible applicants for the Code Enforcement Board and make appointments.

Council members will meet at 9:30 a.m. at Town Hall. Members of the public can participate in person or follow the meeting virtually via Zoom Webinar. To join Tuesday's meeting, go to https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84155708325 or phone: 1-929-436-2866, Webinar ID: 841 5570 8325.

The council will host its monthly development review meeting Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. To join, go to https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85021512360 or phone: 1-301-715-8592, Webinar ID: 850 2151 2360.

Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Sea turtle nests in Florida: Palm Beach weighs additional protections