FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Flagler County leaders say one of their largest beach renourishment projects is significantly behind schedule, putting millions in grant funding at risk.
The project is designed to rebuild 5.5 miles of eroded coastline along the northern portion of Flagler’s beaches — from northern Flagler Beach up to Varn Park — restoring sand and dune systems that were wiped out by major storms that also destroyed sections of A1A. The county has roughly two weeks to lock in a bid for the $35 million project, which is largely funded by state and FEMA grants.
Officials say they are still waiting on approximately 17 property owners to sign easements. Adding to the challenge, at least one large property’s seawall has collapsed and must be repaired before work can begin. Crews typically cannot make those repairs until after turtle season ends in November.
Flagler County Vice Chair Kim Carney says the commission must now weigh whether to move forward with the project despite gaps in easement coverage.
“Right now, we are down to less than five percent of the project is holdouts so it’s so small, do we stop the project just because of that,” Carney said.
Carney also raised questions about the effectiveness of the dune system if sections are skipped.
“How efficient is the dune system if you don’t put sand there and you go around it? There’s evidence that says it’s not good for the project. There’s also evidence that says it’s ok,” Carney said.
The financial stakes are high. If the county does not award the contract by Aug. 6, it could lose the grant funding entirely.
“The project would take 100 percent of our reserves leaving us with no cash,” Carney said.
Business owners along A1A say the delay offers some short-term relief from construction disruption, but many worry about the consequences of another major storm if the project does not move forward.
“I hope they still get the funding because the washouts are a huge problem here and have been for a long time. So they need to in order to preserve everything but my business is going to be affected by it of course,” said Kristyn Cullis, owner of Salt and Vine Spa.
The Flagler County Commission is scheduled to meet Aug. 3 to make a final decision on whether to proceed with the project.