Flagler County keeps unincorporated Barrier Island MSBU at $0, advances beach-management plan

The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 11 voted to adopt a resolution levying the unincorporated Barrier Island beach-renourishment special assessment at $0 for fiscal year 2026 and approved interlocal agreements with the property appraiser and tax collector to prepare and collect the non-ad valorem assessment roll.

County Administrator Petito told the commission and an audience that the county has pursued a multi-year beach-management approach that includes an Army Corps of Engineers coastal storm risk management project, county-sponsored nourishment, dune planting and fencing, perpetual easements with homeowners associations and resort properties, and a blended funding plan relying on federal and state grants, tourism revenues and a local match. Petito said the county set aside $8.2 million for beach management in the FY2026 tentative budget.

The public hearing drew about two hours of public comment, with a large group of Barrier Island residents urging either a countywide half-cent sales tax or a broader funding share rather than relying primarily on a localized MSBU. Many commenters said a special assessment concentrated on island property owners would be inequitable; others supported a modest MSBU if it were paired with broader revenue sources.

Why it matters: County staff and commissioners said the county needs a predictable, recurring funding stream for repeated renourishment (the recurring sand-placement work after initial construction) so the county can leverage state and federal grants and avoid expensive emergency responses after storms.

What the county said: In an overview, Petito summarized work since 2023, including the Army Corps project that rebuilt a 10-foot dune and extended the beach on a roughly 2.6-mile reach and county permits and planning to extend nourishment farther north. Petito described the MSBU as one piece of a blended funding strategy and stressed that the MSBU for FY2026 is being levied at $0 to allow time for further study and negotiation; as she told residents, “For next year, it is 0. It's not gonna change a month from now.”

Public concerns: Speakers at the podium expressed a mix of positions. Several residents urged a countywide half-cent sales tax as the fairest option to spread costs among tourists and residents countywide. Others called for clearer engineering cost estimates and questioned whether the MSBU language would allow assessments to be used for items (such as parking or signage) that, they said, benefit the general public rather than only “benefited” properties. Barbara Patel, who said she has lived in Marineland for 40 years, warned that "If the assessment goes too high, we will be priced out of our homes." Opponents raised equity and legal concerns about using a non-ad valorem assessment to fund ongoing renourishment.

County response and limits: Commissioners and staff repeatedly emphasized legal and practical limits. Petito said the MSBU applies only in the unincorporated area because the county lacks jurisdiction to unilaterally levy assessments inside municipal boundaries without interlocal agreements. Commissioners pointed residents to an upcoming engineering apportionment study that county staff said will determine how costs would be divided among properties and provide a defensible basis for any future levy. Commissioner Hansen told the room the MSBU “is not intended to pay for the whole thing. It's just a small portion,” and noted staff are working on fairness and benefit apportionment; he said one scenario being examined showed a maximum MSBU of about $450 per year for homes directly on the beach (other parcels would pay less).

Formal action and vote: The commission approved a resolution levying the unincorporated Barrier Island beach-renourishment assessment at $0 for FY2026, authorized interlocal agreements with the property appraiser and tax collector to reimburse administrative costs, and directed staff to include the assessment on the DR-408A certificate to the non-ad valorem assessment roll. Motion: Commissioner Hansen. Second: Commissioner Carney. Roll call recorded: Commissioner Hansen — yes; Commissioner Pennington — no; Chair Dance — yes; Commissioner Carney — yes; Commissioner Richardson — yes. Outcome: approved.

What’s next: Staff said the apportionment engineering study and continued interlocal talks with municipalities remain ongoing. Petito and commissioners reiterated that the $0 levy this year preserves the MSBU mechanism while giving time to refine apportionment, secure grant matches and pursue a blended funding strategy that could include tourism receipts, state/federal grants and, potentially, a local option sales tax that would require further action and municipal cooperation.

Provenance: County staff overview and legal/board discussion were presented at the public meeting item that began with the description of Item 3A (unincorporated Barrier Island beach renourishment) and concluded with the roll-call vote adopting the assessment at $0.

Ending: Commissioners said they will continue public meetings, engineering work and interlocal discussions before any levy above $0 would be imposed, and they encouraged residents to follow the apportionment study and future budget hearings.