- June 1, 2026
Flagler County commissioners are moving closer to awarding a $35 million beach and dune restoration project designed to strengthen erosion protection along 5.5 miles of coastline from Varn Park to North 7th Street in Flagler Beach.
During a June 1 workshop, county staff presented an update on the Reach 2 Beach and Dune Restoration Project, which includes portions of Flagler Beach and Beverly Beach. The dredge-based project would restore both the beach and dune systems by placing approximately 1.5 million cubic yards of sand along the shoreline.
The county received four bids for the project, with Weeks Marine submitting the lowest at approximately $39 million. To bring the project within budget, staff negotiated a reduction in sand placement from 1.8 million cubic yards to 1.5 million cubic yards, lowering the anticipated construction cost to about $34 million. Additional engineering and inspection services are expected to bring the total project budget to just over $35 million.
Construction is expected to begin in November and take between four and six months to complete.
One challenge that remains is securing easements from oceanfront property owners. County Engineer Hamid Tabassian said 17 easements remain outstanding, representing less than a mile of shoreline. Most are located in Flagler Beach near the secant wall area.
Commission Chair Leann Pennington asked how those remaining holdouts could affect the project.
"Let's say the 17 never show up or only two of them show up," Pennington said. "Creating those gaps, it weakens the project at all?"
"Yes," Program Manager Damon Douglas replied.
Douglas explained that while sand can still be placed seaward of those properties, gaps in the dune system reduce the overall protective benefits of the restoration effort. Tabassian noted the county has reduced the number of outstanding easements from roughly 30 earlier this year to 17 and expects additional property owners to sign before construction begins.
Funding for the project will come from a combination of federal disaster recovery grants, state funding, Florida Department of Transportation agreements, Tourist Development Council reserves and county beach-management funds. However, much of the funding is reimbursement-based. John Brower, Flagler County's Interim Deputy County Administrator and Director of Financial Services, warned that the county may face short-term cash-flow challenges while waiting for grant reimbursements and discussed possible financing options if needed.
County officials also noted that a section of the project near the Beverly Beach Camptown RV Resort will likely be delayed due to a recent seawall collapse. Beach nourishment in that area cannot proceed until repairs are completed, likely after hurricane season.
No formal vote was taken during the workshop, but commissioners signaled support for continuing efforts to move the Reach 2 project forward. The contract is expected to come before the board later this summer, with bids remaining valid through early August.
