- April 20, 2024
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Flagler County is making progress on securing the easements needed for a large beach renourishment project designed to protect homes and businesses along the coast in future hurricanes.
The county government won the Army Corps of Engineers' support for a multimillion dollar beach fortification project after Hurricane Matthew damaged large stretches of State Road A1A and nearby structures, but the plan — placing tons of additional sand on the beach, dredged from a borrow pit offshore — requires beachfront property owners' consent, via an easement, to access their land.
As of May 18, about 15 had resisted or not replied to the county's requests, while some others had indicated that they were willing to sign, but had not yet done so. But by a June 1 County Commission meeting, County Attorney Al Hadeed told commissioners, eight more property owners had signed easements, including a motel with 215 linear feet of beach.
The county now has some fairly long, uninterrupted stretches of signed easements — one 21 parcels long, and another 30 parcels long — and still needs about 14 easements, some of which are in progress.
The county is attempting to close the gaps that would be created if property owners don't sign easements and the fortification work therefore can't be completed on their land, as any gaps would create "breach points" where the ocean could sweep in during a storm, undermining the entire project.
During the May 18 meeting, Commissioner Greg Hansen had suggested the county use eminent domain to seize the land of property owners who refuse, but Hadeed had replied that county staff are still attempting to use persuasion.
