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Florida Inland Navigation District opens dredging grants to public canals; Palm Coast praises 50/50 match
Summary
FIND Commissioner Randy Stapleford told Palm Coast council that the district voted to allow public canals to be eligible for Waterway Assistance Program grants at a 50/50 match for counties under 250,000 residents, and stressed funds are specifically for dredging.
Commissioner Randy Stapleford of the Florida Inland Navigation District told the Palm Coast City Council on Oct. 28 that the district unanimously approved allowing public canals to be included in Waterway Assistance Program (WAP) grants moving forward.
Stapleford said the WAP change will make counties with populations under 250,000 eligible for 50/50 matching grants specifically for canal dredging. "So from this day on... the waterway assistance projects at a 50 50 grant for those counties under a population of 250,000," he said, adding that the grant funds are narrowly limited "very specific to dredging" and cannot be used for unrelated purposes.
Council and staff reaction
Palm Coast staff and council members thanked Stapleford and said the change addresses a long-standing community request to make canal-dredging funding more feasible. The fire chief thanked the district for partnership, and council members said they would pursue coordination with state and county representatives to seek project funding for local canals.
Why it matters
Many Palm Coast property owners use public canals for boat access and have pressed for dredging to maintain navigation and prevent shoaling. A 50/50 match reduces the local share required for dredging projects, but project-level eligibility, design and scheduling still require staff coordination and technical review.
What’s next
Staff indicated it will coordinate with county and state partners and the district to identify candidate canals and the steps needed to pursue WAP funding. No city funding commitment was made at the workshop; the announcement clarifies grant eligibility and opens opportunities for future requests.
