FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JEKYLL ISLAND, GA. – March 17, 2008 – The Jekyll Island State Park Authority, the state entity charged with conserving Jekyll Island, has taken steps to protect Jekyll Island’s unique beaches. At the Jekyll Island Authority’s request, the Department of Natural Resources has certified the shore jurisdiction line under the Georgia Shore Protection Act along Jekyll Island’s beachfront. As defined by the Act, land changes or disturbances may be limited on the seaward side of the jurisdiction line.
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“We take our charge to protect the unique and unspoiled beaches of Jekyll Island very seriously,” said Ben Porter, Chairman of the Jekyll Island Authority. “We are taking these steps to ensure that the people of Georgia can enjoy Jekyll Island’s beaches for generations to come.”
The Georgia Shore Protection Act gives the Department of Natural Resources jurisdictional oversight of the state’s shorelines, sand dunes and adjacent lands. Part of that responsibility may include setting restrictions to development along Georgia’s beaches.
The DNR’s action for the Jekyll Island Authority, formally approved March 13, creates such restrictions on Jekyll Island. Development or any land disturbance in the newly certified jurisdictional area will now require a special permit from DNR.
“DNR has verified the delineation in the area that contains our current Convention Center and shopping center, and is designated for redevelopment as a new beach village,” said Eric Garvey, senior director of the Jekyll Island Authority. “The jurisdiction line is to ensure that all work in this area is in compliance with the state Shore Protection Act.”
Garvey added, “While improvements are often permitted within the jurisdictional area, we won’t know exactly what DNR permits will be needed until changes to the beach village plan are presented.”
Revitalization on Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island Authority, along with its revitalization partner Linger Longer Communities, is working on plans for a new beach village that will bring together a variety lodging together with restaurants, shops, parks and improved beach access, as well as a new Convention Center and Convention Center Hotel.
The General Assembly created the Jekyll Island State Park Authority in 1950 to manage Jekyll Island, a state-owned coastal treasure to be enjoyed by all Georgians. Each day the Authority’s staff works to conserve the island’s natural resources through revenues generated by providing services, programs and amenities that maximize benefits to everyone on the island.
But to accomplish its mission, the Authority must attract visitors to Jekyll Island each year — and generate enough revenue to keep state taxpayers from paying the substantial cost of managing the island.
Faced in recent years with lagging attendance and declining revenue, the Authority recently launched an effort to revitalize its aging hotels, shops and Convention Center. Because the majority of these structures were built in the 1960s, it was clear that the change was going to involve redevelopment.
In September, the Jekyll Island Authority selected a high-quality private developer, Linger Longer Communities, as its revitalization partner.
Gov. Sonny Perdue, members of the General Assembly’s Jekyll Island Legislative Oversight Committee, the Glynn County Commission, Brunswick City Council, Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce and the Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia are supporting the Authority’s efforts at revitalization.
In its proposal last year, Linger Longer presented a Beach Village concept that would create a wonderful new destination on Jekyll Island. That concept plan, which is currently being reworked based on public comment and other input, will also be in compliance with the Shore Protection Act. The revised concept will be completed this spring and will again welcome an additional round of public comment and review.
The Jekyll Island State Park Authority prides itself on its service to the public and will post supporting material to its web site www.jekyllislandfacts.com.
About Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is a barrier island on Georgia’s coast – midway between Jacksonville, Fla.; and Savannah, Ga. Accessible by car just minutes from I-95, Jekyll Island offers a variety of amenities, including 10 miles of beach, four golf courses, a 250-acre Historic Landmark District, water park, tennis center, an array of lodging options including hotels, cottages and campgrounds. Owned by the State of Georgia, and managed by the Jekyll Island State Park Authority, Jekyll Island has had development limited to just 35 percent of its available land area. This unique aspect of Jekyll Island serves to preserve the critical barrier island ecosystem, as well as provides guests with a unique escape from the crowds and complications of other beach resort destinations. Please visit www.jekyllisland.com for more information or call 1-877-4JEKYLL.
CONTACT: Eric Garvey, Jekyll Island State Park Authority, (912) 635-4081 or EGarvey@jekyllisland.com.
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Tags: DNR Shore Protection Line, jekyll island development, jekyll island revitalization, just the fact about jekyll island
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March 18th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
If the sea turtles nesting are so sensitive that the Lanier Bridge can not be lighted 7.5 miles inland from this areas proposed project, how is it explained that the project is not having a negative impact on the turtles?
Isn’t this a blatant conflict with Jekyll selling itself as a sea turtle sanctuary? What happened? Big money shoved the turtles out of the way?
March 25th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
The Jekyll Island Authority is essentially a conservation organization (most of our resources go towards conservation and preservation activities), and with the help of the Jekyll Island Foundation raised the $3 million to build the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, the first facility in the state to care for sick and injured sea turtles. The Center also runs education programs to advance the understanding of the species and promote better stewardship and responsible human interaction, as well as participating in research that will contribute to the overall body of knowledge related to protecting the species and helping in its recovery from the endangered status.
How artificial light affects sea turtles is not entirely understood, and it will be important work to better understand and facilitate through our own redevelopment the most responsible way to build on the coast. We hope to be a model for coastal development that minimizes the impact on the environment inclusive of sea turtle nesting and hatching.
As with the Sydney Lanier Bridge, different lighting techniques that include certain spectrums of color light can be used that apparently does not impact the nesting sea turtle or the hatchlings. I will let the sea turtle experts speak to that, but ultimately it was the cost of retrofitting lights on the bridge that caused that not to go through.
The intended area for our beach village project is already developed, and there is already light pollution in this area. By redeveloping it, we can deploy solutions that will improve this situation. Also, by reversing the declining trend in visitation, we can bring more people to the island who can visit the Sea Turtle Center, learn about conservation measures and be more mindful of how we can reduce the negative impact we have on the species. With additional revenue flowing to the Jekyll Island Authority, we can look at nesting habitat rehabilitation and address what we know to be the number one impediment to sea turtle nesting - the rock armoring placed on the beach in the 1960’s.
The comment about “big money” demonstrates your cynicism, which is unfortunate. And if you think the solution is to do nothing, or to tear down all development and return the area to a natural state, then you are not being realistic. An important part of the Jekyll Island Authority’s mission is conservation of our natural resources, and we see that revitalization and bringing more guests to the island as the best way for us to best accomplish this.