St. Johns County urges homeowners to sign easements after St. Augustine Beach approves shore‑protection agreement

Speaker 1, a representative of St. Johns County Coastal Management, announced that the City of St. Augustine Beach has approved signing a Perpetual Beach storm damage reduction easement for the St. Augustine Shore Protection Project and urged homeowners in the project area to sign so federal work can continue.

County officials said the agreement strengthens the county’s cost-share partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and will allow continued beach renourishment and broader public beach access. "St. John's County Coastal Management has secured 60% of the required perpetual easements," Speaker 1 said, adding that officials are "very excited to see that number still steadily climbing." The county said it needs signed easements from 100% of property owners in the project area for the Corps to return and complete future work.

Speaker 2, identified in the transcript as a commissioner, urged homeowners and businesses to take part and framed the easement as protection for property, recreation and the environment. "This isn't a government takeover," Speaker 2 said, adding that the work protects sea turtles and the Anastasia dune mouse and restores public access for activities such as playing on the beach and walking dogs. Speaker 2 noted that tourism is the county’s leading asset and that much of its 43 miles of beaches are concentrated at St. Augustine Beach.

Speaker 3 emphasized the urgency of signing, saying, "It is imperative that residents sign these easement agreements, so that we will continue to have beach renourishment and that we're able to bring in sand along our beaches and along our coastline." County officials warned that without full participation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not return to construct and complete future projects.

The county said the St. Augustine Shore Protection Project runs from Anastasia State Park to Ocean Hammock Park. Homeowners in the project area seeking more information or looking to sign an easement were directed to www.sjcfl.us/spp. The county framed the next procedural step as obtaining signed easements from the remaining property owners; no vote or motion on the easement was recorded in this transcript excerpt.