Thesis for a solution Essay Two

Thesis for a solution Essay Two

Only one hundred and fifty feet separates you from the Gulf of Mexico and Fun in the sun.

If you had a chose between going twenty-five slow miles East or West just to get out to sea or just going through a man made pass strait in to the Gulf of Mexico, what would you chose? In a little town called Navarre Beach, Florida there has been some debate as to the opening of a pass to the Gulf of Mexico. Navarre is protected by a barrier island stretching about Fifty-two miles, and the town of Navarre happens to be at the center of this area with which the only other access to the Gulf of Mexico being the Destin pass to the East and the Pensacola pass to the West. Although some residents fear over development of the area, the city of Navarre beach should reopen up the access to the Gulf of Mexico because it will bring more business opportunities to the area, the city has been and is almost finished preparing the infrastructure, and to flush out the sound through natural tides.


In the summer of 1965 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dug a pass to the Gulf of Mexico. A few months later a hurricane closed it back up before any reinforcement, large rocks also known as Jetties, could be put in place to protect from the sand filling back in. Reopening the pass will have a high effect on the area as far as tourism goes. It will also increase the attraction for the locals to staying the area when more businesses move in. As it stands now the town of Navarre is mostly populated by the military bases near by as well as those that work in the two adjacent counties. While some people fear that the sky line will be over taken by huge hotels and condos, there is not much room for such large structures on the sound side, and there are already condos on the barrier island. In 2004 the city council and the community came together to visualize the future of the town of Navarre and to make recommendations for improvement. (Hayes) This document is the biggest step in the right direction to prevent over developing the community while bringing business opportunities to the town. More laws could also be put in place to protect from over development. With the inclusion of a pass to the Gulf of Mexico there will be some migration of the fishing industry, hotels and the food service will grow, and the housing market will pick back up. Business will move in the area to support the influx of tourist to the area which will have an effect on the local population. Locals can stay in the area instead of having to travel out side the county, keeping the money and taxes in the county. Community support and input can help shape the future with the help of the local government to work and finish the infrastructure.

The community of Navarre Florida has been growing increasingly in over the past four years. New housing subdivisions, schools, highway improvements, commercial and professional business parks have been erected all over the area. With the community involvement to protect the look of the peaceful area and the county backing it up they have been working on the infrastructure to prepare for the future. Time lines have been set up and the area is getting on track. One proposed idea that will help the town of Navarre get a Pass to the Gulf of Mexico is to incorporate. The town of Navarre is currently governed by the county and so has to share its resources and wait on the demands of the whole county. Most changes must also be approved by the whole county many of whom have no vested interest in this small town. Resent News coverage has stated that the Army Core of Engineers has been asked to look into seeing if there is a federal interest in the opening of the Navarre Beach pass. With the help of the Army Core of Engineers the county will have to shoulder less of the financial burden of building the pass and focuses on finishing the infrastructure of the area. Johnny Grandison of the Mobile office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said “if supporters can identify a federal interest in a pass, economically or environmentally, the Corps might be able to pay for the project” (Cooper, paragragh 25-26) Also with the involvement of the Corps they will have the burden of responsibility to maintain it for the next fifty years from any “acts of God” (Navarrepass.com) Opening the Pass can also help with the flushing of the sound.

With the opening of a pass in to the Gulf of Mexico there will be some changes to the ecological environment in the center of the fifty plus mile stretch of Bearer Island and the sound it protects. The area currently is home to many forms of sea grasses and small fish. The water is also stagnate, and the storm runoff takes a long time to naturally flush out. Some worry that the opening of a pass to the Gulf would damage the sea grasses in the sound due to most the extra salt water from the Gulf, but researchers have found that the water in the sound has about the same salinity levels as in the Gulf (Destin Log, Paragraph six) In fact most researchers do not know the full impacts of cutting a new pass into the sound and more research needs to be done. But cutting a pass can be done.

Putting an access point to the Gulf of Mexico in Navarre Beach will help the local economy by bringing new business opportunities. The town is on track with building the infrastructure, and the sound could use the environmental benefits of the natural flushing that the pass can provide. The biggest step to help make this dream a reality is to contact the governor and local politicians and let them know it has support of the community and the second step is to vote for the incorporation of the town of Navarre Beach, Florida to take the control of the project out of the counties hands and in the hands of the community that the pass will benefit the most.

Works Cited

Cooper, Louis “Forging a new pass” Pensacola News Journal Published - February, 9, 2008 accessed March 19, 2008 http://gulfcoastgateway.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080209/NEWS01/802090312/1126/NEWS0503

Hayes, Franklin “County, Navarre push forward with new Town Center” Gulf Breeze News February 09, 2006 accessed March 19, 2008 http://www.gulfbreezenews.com/news/2006/0209/Front_Page/006.html

“There's talk in Navarre about a Navarre Pass” The Destin Log by Florida Freedom Newspapers June 04, 2007 (Paragraph six, The science of a pass), accessed March 19, 2008 http://www.thedestinlog.com/articles/article.print.db.php?a=1371

Navarre Pass. “2-11-08 PR News>>” Navarre Pohlmann Pass Committee February 11, 2008 Paragraph four http://www.navarrepass.com/news_2_11_08_text.html