Sand Key, Treasure Island, and St. Pete Beach will get fresh sand again in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after ending a decade-long stalemate Friday.
The federal agency has been financially assisting Pinellas County to renourish its beaches since 1966, historically covering two-thirds of the cost.
The initiative is important: protecting coastal infrastructure from storms and rising seas, preserving wildlife habitats for sea turtles and birds, and supporting local tourism economies.
But in 2015, the Army Corps started asking beachside private property owners to permanently allow public access in areas replenished with new sand…