Wakulla County Approves Demolition of Rock Landing Dock

During their meeting held Monday, March 24, 2008, the Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners approved an emergency demolition of the Rock Landing Dock. The Rock Landing Dock will be closed March 31, 2008 through April 10, 2008.

{sidebar id=1}The Rock Landing Dock was first closed to the public in 2006 due to its extreme deterioration and a subsequent engineering report stating that the dock was not safe for pedestrian or vehicle traffic.

Since that time, the County has instituted precautionary and safety measures at the Rock Landing Boat Facility while permanent corrections to the facility have been in the planning stages. The facility has been closed to all users by a chain link fence and no trespassing signs. However, these interim protective and safety measures have proven insufficient due to routine damages to the chain link fence and the removal of all precautionary and safety signs by vandals.

“Individuals have continued to use the dock despite the County’s best efforts to protect citizens from its severe deterioration while we’ve been working toward a permanent fix of this important facility," commented Benjamin Pingree, County Administrator. "Based on the potential liability to innocent citizens, and the request of state safety officials, the Board ultimately approved of this emergency measure to demolish the dock immediately."

In August 2007 a grant application was approved by the Florida Boating Improvement Program for $522,685 and signed by the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission. In addition to working as a partner with the County to encourage such an action be taken to protect public safety, the Department of Environmental Protection has granted the necessary authorization under the provisions of an Emergency Permit to have the dock demolished. Additionally, the Florida Boating Improvement Program provides grant funds for the demolition and removal of the existing dock structure.

The dock is to be removed in a manner not to disturb the natural vegetation as designated by the Department of Environmental Protection. Upon the dock’s removal in the weeks ahead, staff will proceed with a mostly routine process toward the dock’s improvement and new construction during the remainder of 2008.

- Submitted by Jessica Welch, Wakulla County Administrator's Office

This article originally published on March 25, 2008.

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