- December 4, 2025
Daytona is on track to get its own dog-friendly stretch of beach, with officials selecting a location for the new section.
On Tuesday, Oct. 7, the Volusia County Council approved 6-0 for staff to proceed with amending a county ordinance to add a second dog beach location, proposed for a 1.7-mile section from Williams Boulevard to the Seabreeze Boulevard approach. This comes after the council directed staff back in May to begin the process. County Councilman David Santiago was absent from the meeting.
Daytona Dog Beach Inc. will pay for the startup costs — estimated to range between $7,800-$9,760 for signage, dog bag dispensers and water bowls — as well as the $2,500 annual costs. Like for the Ormond dog beach, the nonprofit will also supply dog waste bags and volunteer efforts to keep the beach clean.
Councilmen thanked Nanette McKeel Petrella, president of Daytona Dog Beach, for stepping up for the responsibility. When asked by Council Chair Jeff Brower if her nonprofit could fund dog beaches throughout the county, Petrella said Daytona Dog Beach is prepared to do so — they would just need to figure out initial costs for dog waste dispensers and the necessary yearly commitment for volunteers.
"I am constantly getting emails or things on Facebook from people in other parts of the county that want this in their areas," Petrella said. "My feeling has been, 'Well, we got to take it one step at a time, or one paw at a time,' as I like to say. But yes, I think we could do it."
Two other options were presented to the council: a 1.48-mile section from Hartford Avenue to Seabreeze Boulevard, and a 1-mile section from Zelda Boulevard to Seabreeze Boulevard.
Petrella and Daytona Dog Beach supported the approved option, saying that would achieve the most successful longterm outcome.
"We are grateful we were given the chance to provide input to this opportunity based on our experience funding and hosting the dog beach Ormond for two years," Petrella said. "We appreciate all of you challenging us at times, encouraging us at times, being open and willing to change your positions and then say so. Hopefully you have seen we've delivered on our commitments in the past, and that you are confident in our ability to deliver on them again hosting a successful dog beach in Daytona."
Deb Coursey, a volunteer with Daytona Dog Beach and board treasurer, said since opening the dog beach in Ormond, volunteers have removed 8,600 pounds of trash on the 0.6-mile stretch of beach in Ormond between Milsap Road and Rockefeller Drive. When factoring the beach cleanups the nonprofit held prior to the launch of the dog beach pilot, that figure rises to 10,157 pounds of trash collected since July 2021.
"Every bit of beach you give us will be just that clean and we thank you for the opportunity," Coursey said.
Councilman Troy Kent, who has spearheaded the initiative, said the addition of a dog beach in Daytona will equal to 2.3 miles of dog-friendly areas out of the county's 47 miles of coastline.
"This is still a drop in the bucket and it allows your group (Daytona Dog Beach) to make sure the proof is in the pudding and make that equally as clean as the half-mile in Ormond Beach," Kent said.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 9:24 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8 to correct the spelling of Deb Coursey's surname. Additionally, a previous version of this story incorrectly stated the number of miles that make up Volusia's coastline.
