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GOVERNMENT LIAISON John Miller, 941-276-5570, jmiller941@embarqmail.com

You have probably heard more than enough about seawalls and what Hurricane Irma did to them, but fixing them is a
whole other story you need to be aware of as we go forward. About 900 parcels were compromised. That’s 15 miles of
seawalls that will cost about $27 million to repair. The goal is to have all repairs completed in 12-24 months.

All damaged areas have now been evaluated and cordoned off. City personnel have inspected sites with known
swimming pool encroachment, failed drainage pipes, and other hazards. Crews are repairing broken pipes as well as
looking at foam and spray on Bonded Fiber Matrix slope stabilization, etc., as types of emergency measures that can be
undertaken. Residents should take any actions necessary to protect their property, and we recommend you contact a
qualified professional to evaluate your specific situation. Please check with the building department before beginning any
work.

Contracts for all needed materials to build and install new seawalls have been approved and bids from up to seven
contractors have been solicited and will be awarded in mid-December. Each contractor will be assigned a section of
seawalls to repair. They will use a priority list for the replacements based on the following: High Priority - Severe erosion
issues where there is a greater chance for further property damage. Medium Priority - Typical seawall failures of
occupied lots where the cap has dropped but the soil seems to be holding. Low Priority - Vacant lot failures which don’t
affect homes and will be utilized as staging areas.

In the background, the city is meeting with FEMA officials to complete a request by the end of December for financial
relief. The request, once signed off by FEMA, will go to the State of Florida for actual reimbursement. It is important to
understand that the seawalls are owned by the city and residents may not contract for their own repairs on the seawall,
as this will jeopardize relief funding from FEMA.

Replacement work will begin in January and the city will notify residents when work will be started on their property. The
city website has all the affected sites noted with their priority as well as pictures and related rules to seawall maintenance
and responsibilities: http://www.ci.punta-gorda.fl.us/services/canal-maintenance/storm-related-seawall-failures

Several residents have inquired about their responsibilities and contractor responsibilities related to the seawall
replacement. In summary, the seawall contractors will be responsible for removing the old seawall and anything in their
way including docks and davits, installing the new seawall, back filling the area, and installing Floratam or Bahia sod.
Residents are responsible for their own docks, lifts, fences, irrigation and water lines, electrical, and any other owner
improvements in the vicinity of the seawall. Seawall contractors can usually work around freestanding docks that were
not damaged by the seawall. Residents with damaged docks and lifts are encouraged to contact a marine contractor to
determine whether parts of the dock or lift can be secured and reused prior to the seawall contractor performing his work.

It is important to remember to be patient! This project will not be completed overnight. It will take up to two years and we
will have to see our failed seawalls for a long time. The PGICA Board unanimously supports the plan the city has put in
place and I would be happy to help you work through any issues you may encounter during this process.

If you would like more detail concerning this project or other city goings on, feel free to contact me or go to the city
website, http://www.ci.punta-gorda.fl.us. It is a very informative and user-friendly website.

ALERT CHARLOTTE Emergency Alert Program

Get alerted about emergencies by signing up for Alert Charlotte. This system enables us to provide you with critical
information quickly in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons and
evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods.

You will receive time-sensitive messages wherever you specify, such as your home, mobile or business phones,
email address, text messages and more. You pick where, you pick how.

IF WE CAN’T REACH YOU, WE CAN’T ALERT YOU!

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