Home & Garden

Should Midnight Pass be Reopened?

Do you think Midnight Pass, located on the southern end of Siesta Key, should be reopened? Why or why not?

There has been talk for years about reopening Midnight Pass after it was filled in in the early 1980s to prevent erosion on south end of Siesta Key, and Patch wants to know what you think about it? 

If Sarasota County commissioners are considering applying to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and other federal agencies to have the pass reopened, according to an article in the Longboat Key Observer.

This is nothing new, the state has rejected multiple attempts to have the pass dredged by county officials as well as individuals over the last few decades.  

Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The pass was naturally opened in 1921 during a hurricane, then dredged as part of the Intra Coastal Waterway project. However, over the years storms and currents filled in the pass until it was too shallow to accommodate larger boats.

It was closed in 1983 at the request of homeowners who were afraid of losing their homes to erosion. A new pass north of the site was supposed to be opened following the closure, however the undertaking failed due to strong currents filling the dredging project within days of construction.

Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Now some people believe that reopening the pass would not only be advantageous for boaters, but also provide more water flow to the bay to help filter pollution. Opponents think the project is too costly for taxpayers and too risky for construction purposes as well as a hazard for animal habitat.

We want to know what you think? Should the pass be reopened? Or should it be left alone? 


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