County urges homeowners to sign easements to keep Army Corps beach renourishment on track

St. Johns County coastal management officials urged homeowners in the St. Augustine Shore Protection Project area to sign perpetual easements needed for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue beach renourishment.

County staff said the City of St. Augustine Beach has signed the Perpetual Beach Storm Damage Reduction Easement that allows construction and maintenance work for the St. Augustine Shore Protection Project, which runs from Anastasia State Park to Ocean Hammock Park. Officials reported they have secured roughly 60% of the required easements and asked property owners in the project area to sign so the Army Corps will return to construct and complete future projects.

“If we do not obtain signed easements from 100% of property owners within the project area, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not return to construct and complete future projects,” a coastal management representative said. Presenters framed the easements as protection for homes, businesses, sea turtles and other dune-dependent species and provided a county website (www.sjcfl.us/spp) for more information and for homeowners who need easement documents.

Speakers emphasized that the agreement is a partnership with property owners and local government rather than a government takeover, and urged participation to preserve beach access and long-term renourishment benefits. No new regulatory action or local ordinance was proposed at the presentation.