St. Augustine authorizes grant application after marina damage; harbor master estimates up to $2 million in repairs

The St. Augustine City Commission voted to authorize a grant application to the Florida Inland Navigation District to help repair docks and piers damaged by recent storms.

At a presentation to the commission, Harbor Master Eric Malden said the municipal marina reopened the day after Hurricane Helene but suffered damage to finger piers and wooden dock components. “We have 9 finger piers in total that are damaged that have to be rebuilt,” Malden said, adding that initial estimates for full repairs could be “on the high end at the $2,000,000 range.” He said immediate work will remove floating hazards and tighten hardware that loosened during the storms.

Jamie D. Perkins and Amber Foshard of General Services explained that approval of Resolution 2024-40 would let the city apply for disaster emergency relief funding through the Florida Inland Navigation District. The resolution covers repairs to the municipal marina docks and the Lighthouse Park boat ramp, both damaged by the back-to-back storms.

Malden described operational steps already taken: contractors tightened rods and hardware throughout the marina, steel pilings installed earlier survived the storms, and damaged finger piers will be removed as a safety priority. He said the city ran contractors immediately after Helene and then again after Milton to stabilize dock components.

The commission asked about cost estimates, timelines and the effect on scheduled marina activity; Malden said the planned arrival of the vessel Victoria will be delayed into November while the city strengthens the receiving dock. Commissioners thanked staff for rapid emergency response; the resolution authorizing the grant application passed on a roll-call vote.

The next step is submission of the application and receipt of damage estimates and contractor bids; staff said final costs will depend on procurement results and insurance/aid outcomes.