NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – A group of New Smyrna Beach homeowners is making history — and racing against the clock to do it.
After a three-and-a-half-year battle with state and county officials, residents along the beachfront have received the green light to build what will be the city’s first-ever natural coquina rock revetment.
There’s just one catch: it has to be finished by May 1 — the start of sea turtle nesting season.
The project is the result of years of frustration following the 2022 hurricane season, when Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole’s storm surge wiped out seawalls, backyards and decks along the stretch of beachfront homes.
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In the years since, large sand-filled containment bags — known as Trap Bags — have served as a temporary buffer protecting the homes from further damage.
“We had that Nor’easter blow through a few weeks ago, and that was scary,” said Terri Corbett, one of the homeowners leading the effort.
While most beachfront property owners in the area opted to rebuild with conventional concrete and rebar seawalls, Corbett and her neighbors had a different vision — one that works with nature rather than against it. They pushed for a revetment built from coquina rock, a naturally occurring material rarely used in coastal protection structures, which made getting government approval a years-long challenge.
“We’re removing our Trap Bags and building the first-ever coquina rock seawall in the city, believe it or not,” Corbett said.
Now that the permit has been secured, the real work begins — and fast. Starting Monday, crews will bring in approximately 80 truckloads of large coquina rocks. The rocks will be placed into large excavated holes, stacked and then covered with sand, creating a sloped, natural-looking barrier along the shoreline.
“When you build in a style like this instead of straight up and down, when the waves hit it, it deflects the energy of the oncoming wave so we feel it’s a more proven process to break up wave inertia,” Corbett said.
Beyond its natural aesthetic, Corbett says the coquina revetment is also more cost-effective than a traditional concrete seawall and is expected to last a lifetime. The group also hopes the project becomes a model for future coastal protection efforts across the region.
“We’re hoping to be the child project to show this type of wall can be done,” Corbett said.
With crews unable to work on weekends, the homeowners have just 10 days to complete the project before the May 1 deadline.
“It’ll be giant, it’ll be beautiful, and we’re just so excited,” Corbett said.
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