- April 24, 2024
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In an effort to restore the seven miles of beach along State Road A1A, the Flagler Beach City Commission unanimously voted April 23 to employ Holmberg Technologies’ Undercurrent Stabilizer Systems, said to alter wave energy to naturally shift sand back onto the beach.
The stabilizers were one of a handful of beach nourishments options being considered, including reef balls, ProTec tubes and multipurpose reefs.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is also working on a multi-million-dollar feasibility study to measure the impact of sea walls and other techniques.
“We did a lot of research on available options,” says Patty Brown, founding member of Save Flagler’s Beach, one of Holmerg’s biggest supporters. “We determined early on that (the) Undercurrent Stabilizer System was the only method that would give us back our natural beach in a permanent, sustainable way.”
According to the group, stabilizers are the best option, partly because they disappear under the sand they accumulate, developing dunes to further protect the shoreline and road.
Next, Commissioner Steve Settle plans to meet with the county about the possibility of using Tourist Development Council funds for stabilizer engineering and permitting, expected to cost $50,000. Commissioner Jane Mealy will also write to legislators, asking for support.
“We just don’t know where the money search will take us,” said Commissioner Kim Carney. “We’re going to look privately, as well as (publicly).”
The Holmberg system — which is made of a series of tubes installed at angles off the coast — is also currently being used on beaches along Great Lakes and Middle Eastern shorelines with great success, according to Save Flagler’s Beach.
Bonfires to go to a vote
After months of debate, the City Commission also decided last week, in a vote of 4-1, to put its beach bonfire ordinance up for public vote on a future elections ballot.
Carney, the only commissioner in opposition of the move, called the referendum a “stall tactic.”
“Putting something on a referendum does not force the government or the commission to ban anything,” she said. “All you’re going to know is what the citizens want — and only the citizens who showed up (to vote).”
Carney believes residents should know where each commissioner stands, she added, and since the board has yet to vote, positions remain unclear.
“It got turned into this stupid referendum, and I’m not even sure how that happened,” she said. “(It) is not going to serve any purpose whatsoever — that’s why I voted no.”
At the same meeting, the commission officially decided against banning mobile vending, instead putting staff to work on a permitting process.
Pier restaurant accepts bids
The Flagler Beach Pier restaurant closed under its former management in mid-March, and City Manager Bruce Campbell is currently in negotiations for a contractor to repair structural damages to the facility.
Due to areas of wood deterioration — about 80% is in the structure’s flooring, according to Campbell — the city is in the process of figuring out costs for the fixes.
Before turtle season began, pilings were also driven into the ground for deck extension. The 1,520-square-foot, open-air deck was a stipulation of the city’s contract with new restaurant owner Raymond Barshay, who also owns the River Grille in Ormond Beach.
Email Mike Cavaliere at [email protected].
