- December 16, 2025
Surfers are required to stay 150 feet away from the pier. But a committee was formed to spread awareness of the zone.
By falling silent on a proposal which could have doubled the distance beachgoers must remain from the Flagler Beach pier — from 150 feet to 300 — the Flagler Beach City Commission, Oct. 28, left the law unchanged.
“By taking no action, in other words, (the commission) left it alone,” said Bruce Campbell, city manager. The commission did, however, agree to form a committee of local surfers and fishermen who will work with the city in raising awareness of the pier’s no-surf zone.
According to Campbell, 40 calls were made to city police last summer regarding disputes between surfers and fishermen. Eight resulted in citations to surfers who violated the 150-foot boundary.
Dan Sullivan, owner of Sully’s Surf & Skate Shop, attended the meeting. He is opposed to widening the zone.
“As soon as we heard about it, we formed a strong backing,” he said of Flagler’s surfing community, “which I don’t think the commission or fishermen really expected. Power by numbers.”
Because of tidal shifts near coastal structures, waves near the pier are more attractive to beachgoers, Campbell added — “It’s probably some of the best surfing on the East Coast.”
Sullivan agreed.
“The only place to surf — literally — is right by the pier,” he said.
But he also admitted that many breach the surf zone.
“We’ll admit to it,” he said. “If I’m doing 70 (miles per hour) in a 50, I should get a speeding ticket. If I’m within the 150 feet, give me a ticket.”
Until now, Sullivan believes city officials haven’t fully embraced what he calls the “surfing lifestyle.” But he thinks the stand taken at the meeting helped to legitimize it.
“The surfers kind of had to take on the role of the residents, tourists, the average beachgoer,” he said, adding that the ordinance would have affected everybody — especially local hotels, shops and restaurants. “The pier is the biggest fixture in Flagler. It’s what draws people to the beach.”
From only three days of organizing, Sullivan’s movement garnered more than 4,000 petition emails sent to city commissioners. Surfers made T-shirts and posters, explained to the board that students in surf groups must maintain B averages to participate. Professional surfers promoted a “Support Flagler Beach” movement on their social media platforms.
“I think the city was surprised at the professionals that came out on behalf of the surfers,” he said. “They didn’t look at us as the pier rats, or the little punks … The match was lit, and everybody else came in with gasoline and just lit the thing on fire.”
The commission decided to apply bright paint to the 150-foot marker signs to make them more visible, as well as add wind socks to help define the lines.
The committee of commissioners, surfers and fishermen will work together to raise zone awareness in town, in an effort to foster mutual respect between the groups.
“You’re always going to have the ‘surfer versus fisherman’ atmosphere,” said Sullivan, who noted that he has friends who have been hit with 5-ounce weights launched at them by angry fisherman.
“Everybody is a little bit at fault in some way … (But) we need to police ourselves … We’re going try to come up with new ways to police, add signage, whatever it takes to keep this from coming up again.”
