Flagler County presents countywide beach-renourishment funding plan; municipalities ask for more detail

FLAGLER COUNTY — At a joint workshop on March 12, 2025, leaders from Flagler County and six municipalities reviewed a draft countywide beach management and funding plan that centers on a proposed half‑cent sales tax, a $160 per‑property benefit unit for barrier‑island properties and targeted uses of the Tourist Development Tax to pay for initial construction and periodic renourishment.

County Chair Andy Dantz said the plan “really rests on the fact that the beach is a countywide benefit,” and described a funding package that combines county sales tax revenue, a portion of inland municipalities’ sales tax allocations, tourist development tax revenue and a municipal service benefit unit for barrier‑island properties.

The proposal aims to spread the cost of constructing and maintaining an expanded dune and renourishment program across residents, visitors and municipalities. Under the draft distribution the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners would contribute the county’s full share of the half‑cent sales tax — approximately $4,700,000 in the first year — while inland cities such as Palm Coast and Bunnell would reserve 50% of their sales tax allocation for local needs and make the remaining 50% available to the county pool. The county also proposes asking the Tourist Development Council to allocate the next three years of a capital set‑aside (one‑fifth of the 5% bed tax by statute) to construction of the dune system to make the early phases financially viable.

Why it matters: County officials said the coastline underpins local tourism and property values. The county cited an $890,000,000 annual economic impact and roughly 12,000 jobs countywide that officials say are tied to the coastal economy. County leaders framed the proposal as an attempt to minimize the share paid by county residents alone by leveraging taxes paid by visitors.

Plan elements and municipal concerns

Key elements discussed include: - Half‑cent county sales tax dedicated to the beach management plan, distributed to municipalities via interlocal agreements; the county would seek a supermajority vote to adopt the tax without a referendum. - A $160 annual benefit unit assessed to properties on the barrier island (MSBU) to reflect the direct, localized benefit to those parcels; officials said municipalities and the county are discussing exemptions or grant offsets for low‑income or fixed‑income residents. - Use of one‑fifth of the Tourist Development Tax for beach management (statutory allocation) and a request that the Tourist Development Council apply its capital set‑aside to first‑phase construction for the next three years to make the program viable. - A proposed municipal beach management oversight committee that would convene annually to publish a public accounting of receipts and expenditures. - A county plan to reserve 0.6 mills of existing millage for the shared property‑tax portion of the program rather than immediately raising millage rates. - Easements sought from shoreline property owners to help secure federal disaster‑assistance funding in post‑storm scenarios.

Municipal leaders and commissioners offered support but stressed process and affordability concerns. Palm Coast council members signaled political and public‑outreach hurdles; one councilor said three of four council members have asked for a referendum, which would delay adoption. Several Palm Coast and Bunnell officials asked for written assurances and clearer ordinance language on allowable uses of the sales tax revenue and whether municipalities could use their retained share for local capital projects such as roads or recreation facilities.

Public comment reflected both urgency and caution. Business owner R.J. Santore said, “The beaches aren't just for a few residents to enjoy. They're the backbone of our local economy,” while Beverly Beach resident Ellen urged broad, shared responsibility, saying the county should “be the adult in the room” and suggesting a mix of millage and a sales tax to spread costs. Other residents questioned reliance on periodic sand placement rather than hard structures; county staff and elected officials responded that seawalls and jetties were examined in past Army Corps of Engineers reviews and that nourishment is the engineer‑recommended approach for this shoreline.

Funding reliability and outside dollars

Speakers emphasized that state and federal grants are actively pursued but cannot be the sole basis of the plan. County officials said the state includes beach renourishment funding in its budget and that the county will continue lobbying for additional state and federal assistance; however, they cautioned the plan must stand without assuming outside grants.

Next steps

No formal votes were taken at the workshop. Officials said staff will continue municipal outreach, refine the distribution formula and return proposed interlocal agreements and a draft ordinance establishing an oversight committee for further review. The county intends to secure municipal consensus sufficient to present the funding package to the Board of County Commissioners for a supermajority decision on the half‑cent sales tax. Officials also said they will pursue the Tourist Development Council allocation for the next three years and develop an MSBU grant program to reduce the burden on qualifying residents.

Ending

County and municipal officials described the meeting as part of a months‑long process of public workshops and technical review. Participants asked for clearer written materials and local workshops before any vote; staff said they will schedule additional meetings and provide the requested details to municipal councils and the public.