Flagler County leaders press municipalities for countywide plan to fund ongoing beach renourishment and maintenance

County and municipal elected officials and residents at a Feb. 5 Flagler County joint workshop urged coordination on funding and maintaining future beach renourishment projects, while stopping short of any formal commitment from municipalities to share renourishment costs.

County Chair Andy Vance and Commissioner Greg Hansen laid out the county’s beach-management history and the case for a coordinated, multi-jurisdiction approach. Hansen said the county has spent about $25 million on an initial nourishment and described technical expectations that follow-up renourishments are likely on roughly six-year intervals.

Officials and residents said the beaches are a countywide economic engine and a priority for protecting property, tourism revenue and infrastructure. But municipal leaders expressed concern about asking their residents to shoulder ongoing renourishment costs, and several municipal speakers pressed for clearer breakdowns of who uses and benefits from the beaches.

Hansen framed the county’s request as two parts: (1) ensure cities and towns have maintenance plans that meet the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit…