Residents press for a no‑wake zone in Salt Run as city approves $300,000 dredging grant

Residents and youth speakers urged the St. Augustine City Commission on March 16 to reclassify a 1.5‑mile stretch of Salt Run as a no‑wake zone to protect small sailboats used by local youth programs. The commission separately approved Resolution 2026‑05, authorizing the City Manager to apply for up to $300,000 from the Florida Inland Navigation District Waterway Assistance Program for a Salt Run maintenance dredging project; the Saint Augustine Port Waterway and Beach District will provide a $100,000 interlocal match.

The case for a no‑wake zone came from operators and students at the St. Augustine Sailing Center. One presenter, who said he represents the Sailing Center and is a Flagler College student, asked the commission to reclassify a 1.5‑mile area of Salt Run from 'minimum wake' to 'no wake,' saying that high wakes from rental and charter boats endanger small craft and interfere with moored boats and local tour operations. "All it needs is a sign swap and for the commissioners to inform the local marine law enforcement of this change," he said. A fifth‑grader and an 11‑year‑old sailor also described how wakes tip small training craft and urged quicker action to protect children learning to sail.

Grants Administration Coordinator Jacob Weber presented the dredging request, noting prior dredging removed over 10,000 cubic yards and that the new grant would remove about 4,000 cubic yards toward a permitted depth of minus 10 feet mean low water. He said the approach is to fund dredging through multi‑year grants to maximize material removed while minimizing fixed costs. The commission approved the resolution and the interlocal agreement authorizing the matching funds.

What comes next: Staff offered to follow up with commenters, provided the public contact (Corey Sackard) to coordinate follow‑up, and noted that a no‑wake designation requires statutory criteria and State Fish & Wildlife approval; staff and local partners plan to gather incident data and enforcement records to support any formal petition. The commission encouraged continued documentation of safety incidents so staff can assemble the evidence needed for a formal no‑wake request to the appropriate state authority.

Ending: The dredging resolution was approved unanimously and staff will coordinate next steps on beach/port matching funds and provide follow‑up to the Sailing Center and parents on signage and enforcement options.