Flagler County commissioners press pause on beach-funding decisions until engineering and apportionment studies arrive

Flagler County commissioners said they will not adopt a final funding plan for multi-reach beach renourishment until key studies are complete, after extended public comment and staff updates on Monday.

The board heard multiple public comments urging caution about relying solely on a municipal service benefit unit (MSBU) or a half-cent sales tax for beach renourishment. County staff and commissioners said the apportionment study and a critical-erosion determination for Reach 3 are required to calculate fair parcel assessments and to determine whether state cost-share (through DEP) would apply.

The discussion followed public remarks from Barrier Island residents and property owners who said an MSBU assessed on a flat-per-parcel basis could be regressive and unduly burden low-income homeowners. One resident told the board a proposed $160-per-parcel figure had originally been presented as a “placeholder” derived by dividing a funding gap among parcels and said residents needed more detail before accepting any charge.

County staff explained the steps the apportionment study will take: identify the project scope and other revenue applied to the project, then apply weighted benefit scores (flood protection, property protection, environmental benefit, quality of life) to parcels in the benefit area. Staff said, for example, commercial parcels would be evaluated with equivalent residential units (ERUs) so that large properties would not simply pay the same flat amount as a single-family lot.

On timing, staff said the apportionment study should return in early December 2025 or January 2026; the critical-erosion study for Reach 3 is expected in early 2026. Those studies, commissioners said, will directly affect whether Reach 3 qualifies for a higher DEP cost-share and therefore the scale of any MSBU assessments.

Commissioners also discussed coordination with municipalities: Beverly Beach agreed to a tentative joint meeting Oct. 13, but Flagler Beach declined to meet until the county shares a more complete plan. Commissioners noted Reach 2 construction funding includes federal and state grants that would require a maintenance arrangement and clarified that municipalities covering most of Reach 2 will need to be part of any implementation or maintenance agreements.

Several commissioners cautioned against moving forward with public outreach or interlocal conversations about a specific assessment number until the studies arrive. Commissioner [last names used in meeting transcripts] said the board risks creating division if it commits to figures that are not supported by the forthcoming engineering and apportionment reports.

The board took no formal vote to adopt an MSBU or sales-tax referendum at the meeting. Instead staff was directed to continue the engineering and apportionment work and return with the studies before the board schedules further interlocal meetings or public decisions.

Context: The county has discussed a multi-reach renourishment plan with funding sources that could include federal, state, and local (MSBU or sales-tax) contributions. County staff described the apportionment process as the tool for determining how the local share would be distributed among parcels in affected benefit areas.

Looking ahead, commissioners asked staff to (1) complete and return the apportionment study and the critical-erosion review for Reach 3, (2) share a clear funding plan with municipal partners before requesting joint board meetings, and (3) prepare a memo clarifying deadlines tied to state notification for MSBU formation.